Amitesh Chaubey, who the Hindustan Times described as a ‘wannabe actor’ and professional mixed martial artist, was arrested by members of the Haryana Special Task Force unit in Northern India last week. It is claimed that Chaubey is involved in a kidnapping plot involving an armed gang and a potential movie deal.
According to police, the 28-year-old Chaubey is accused of kidnapping a 27-year-old doctor in the city of Gurugram on March 16th. The alleged kidnapping occurred when the doctor stopped to relieve himself — near a liquor store — while he was driving home from partying with friends.
During his stop, the doctor was accosted by a gang of men armed with guns. He was then bundled into the back of a car.
Police were first alerted to the kidnapping by the doctor’s father, who runs a number of private hospitals in the area. He told police he had received a WhatsApp message from his son’s phone demanding ransom money equivalent to around $80,000.
The father paid the ransom and the son was released unharmed.
Police then arrested the men they believe were behind the plot in locations across Haryana State and bordering Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Chaubey was arrested at his home in Lucknow.
In mixed martial arts Chaubey (nicknamed ‘Hitman’) holds a record of 5-5 with all but one of his fights happening in the Super Fight League promotion. His most recent MMA fight was against Agilan Thani at ONE Championship’s Visions of Victory event in March, 2018. He lost that fight via a highlight reel kimura (see below).
Chaubey was reportedly looking to shift careers from fighting to acting. He had recently acted in a Bhojpuri-language movie and directed his own short film. Police allege that Chaubey committed the kidnapping so he could finance a new film and cast himself in the lead. Police also allege that Chaubey had promised film roles to his co-conspirators; members of the ‘Panchi’ gang.
According to police, Chaubey joined the Panchi gang a few years ago after befriending alleged gang leader Joginder Panchi Jatan in a Delhi pub. Jatan, a former national level hockey player, reportedly formed the gang after his brother, a deputy police superintendent and national level wrestler, died in a politically motivated killing in October 2015.
Jatan’s gang is alleged to be involved in ATM thefts, car jacking, armed robberies, and attempted murder. Police say most of the gang is made up of former wrestlers and hockey players. Three of the men arrested in the same raid that targeted Chaubey were former national-level boxers.
About the author
