Rajesh Puri: I was nearly kidnapped, but I am fortunate to have made it home safely

Veteran actor Rajesh Puri recently faced a terrifying ordeal when he travelled to Delhi as a chief guest for an award function, only to discover it was an attempted kidnapping, as he claims. Puri, who has been part of shows like Hum Log, Saath Nibhaana Saathiya, Shakti -- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, and films like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Ghar Sansaar, Dahleez, and Gunaah, says, “It was a well-organised scam.Earlier this month, I received a call from a man named Shivam, who claimed to represent an event company and invited me to an award function on September 8, supposedly affiliated with the government. He even paid me Rs 35,000 as part of my fee and sent me a return ticket for September 9. He also requested photos for the poster and a recorded speech, which made everything seem legitimate. Although I repeatedly asked for a formal invite, I didn’t worry much since such events are routine and I was occupied with Ganpati seva.”
He was greeted by two men who came to pick him up from the Delhi airport. He recalls, “They took me in a taxi, and after about an hour, they stopped and transferred my luggage into the car. The new car had no license plate, and the driver wore a mask, which raised my suspicions. When I asked him, he claimed it was a new car, but something felt off. They then started heading toward Meerut, and when I asked why, they gave vague responses. That’s when I realised something was wrong. I mentioned my strong connections in Delhi to make them uncomfortable. They offered me to eat at a dhaba when we were 12 km from Meerut.”
At the dhaba, Rajesh managed to speak to one of them. He shares, “I was shocked when the guy told me, “Aap wapas chale jaao. Yeh kuchh bhi theek nahi hai, koi function nahi hai, aur aap kidnap ho gaye ho”. I demanded they drop me back as we were in an isolated area, or I would call for help. After a discussion among themselves, the men agreed to drop me at the border, where my brother-in-law picked me up.”
Later that night, Rajesh received a call from one of the men who dropped him off, revealing chilling details. He says, “This guy told me that their car was being followed by armed men, and that I was being taken to a remote location where they planned to demand a ransom of one or two crores. The story they were fed was that I owed Rs 35 lakh to the person who sent them, but they eventually realised it was a lie.”

Does the actor plan to lodge a police complaint? “My lawyer friends have advised me not to register a police complaint, as it might provoke the gang. I am fortunate to have escaped unharmed. This could happen to anyone, and I want to warn others. Aaj kal hamaari field mein kaam aur paisa bohot kam haitoh log easily phas sakte hain. It’s crucial to verify everything and be cautious about where you are going,” he replies.