Actor-comedian Sunil Pal has recalled the harrowing 24 hours he endured after being kidnapped. Speaking about the traumatic experience, he said, “I need time to think about it. I am still recovering from what happened to me. I am scared and battered. It was the worst 24 hours of my life. I need time and space to come out of it.” Sunil Pal revealed that he was invited to perform a comedy show at a private birthday party, organised inside a 5-star hotel. He was kidnapped and held hostage on the way. After he went missing on Tuesday (December 4), his wife Sarita sought police intervention.
Sunil Pal also opened up about the life-threatening situation. He told Hindustan Times, “It was a full-fledged kidnapping, and it started when I got an invite for an event on December 2 in Haridwar. They paid 50 percent in advance. They sent a car for pick up at the airport. I was shifted to another vehicle after one hour. That was the point when my nightmare started. I was told that they had kidnapped me, blindfolded me and taken me to a place. They said they had weapons, stressing that my life was in danger. There were 7-8 people, some drunk, shouting at me.”
The kidnappers had asked him for a ransom of ₹ 20 lakh. “I called up many friends in Mumbai to collect the money and gave them ₹7.5-8 lakh for my freedom.”
Sunil Pal added, “Police have asked me to file a case. But I am under so much trauma. I don’t know whether I will file the case or not. They didn’t even give threats to me, but said they would cause harm to my family if I took any action against them.”
Sunil Pal shot to fame after winning first prize in the stand-up comedy series The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2005. He has been a part of films like Bhavnao Ko Samjho, Phir Hera Pheri, Apna Sapna Money Money and Bombay to Goa.