YouTuber Salim Wastik Arrested in 31-Year-Old Kidnap-Murder Case

YouTuber and social activist Salim Wastik, known for his controversial views as a self-proclaimed 'Ex-Muslim,' has been dramatically arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with a 31-year-old kidnapping and murder case dating back to 1995. The accused, whose original name is Salim Khan and also went by Salim Ahmed, had been a fugitive for 26 years after jumping interim bail in 2000, having been convicted in 1997 for the abduction and killing of a 13-year-old boy, Sandeep Bansal, in Delhi. The 1995 crime involved the kidnapping of Sandeep Bansal, the son of a cement businessman from North East Delhi, on January 20, 1995. A ransom of Rs 30,000 was demanded from the family, with threats of harm if police were informed. During the initial investigation, suspicion fell upon Salim Khan, who was working as a martial arts instructor at Ramjas School in Daryaganj, where the victim studied. He was identified as the 'Masterji' last seen with the boy. Salim Khan was initially detained, and during interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime and led investigators to a drain near Mustafabad, where the child's body was recovered. In 1997, a trial court sentenced Salim Khan and his accomplice, Anil, to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and murder. However, in 2000, Salim Khan was granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court during the pendency of his appeal, which he subsequently jumped, disappearing for over two decades. His conviction was later upheld by the High Court in 2011, even as he remained absconding. To evade capture, Salim Khan went to extraordinary lengths, including allegedly having himself officially declared deceased in official records and adopting new identities, first as Salim Ahmed and then as Salim Wastik. He continuously shifted his residence across various parts of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, eventually settling in Loni, Ghaziabad. In Loni, he reinvented himself, running a women's clothing and accessories shop and building a public profile as a social activist and YouTuber, where he gained recognition for his controversial statements and critical views on Islam. The dramatic sequence of events that led to his arrest began in February 2026. On February 27, Salim Wastik was brutally attacked by two brothers, Gulfam and Zeeshan, at his home in Loni. The attackers, described by police as 'fanatics,' allegedly targeted him due to his online views on religion, stabbing him multiple times with a razor. Wastik survived the attack and was admitted to a hospital. In a swift turn, the Uttar Pradesh Police subsequently killed both brothers, Gulfam and Zeeshan, in separate encounters in Ghaziabad on March 1 and March 3, respectively, stating they opened fire in self-defense. Ironically, after his discharge from the hospital in March, Wastik was provided with security by the Uttar Pradesh Police. However, this heightened public profile, combined with sustained surveillance by the Delhi Police Crime Branch, ultimately led to his downfall. A special team, tasked with tracking long-term parole jumpers, received a tip-off and used old photographs, fingerprints, and other records to confirm that the prominent YouTuber Salim Wastik was indeed the absconding convict, Salim Khan. He was apprehended from his residence in Loni, Ghaziabad, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, and subsequently lodged in Tihar Jail. The case highlights the Delhi Police's decades-long pursuit of justice and the effectiveness of modern investigative techniques in apprehending long-absconding criminals, even those who have meticulously crafted new identities and gained public recognition.

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