Former Chief Operating Officer of Balaji Telefilms missing in Kenya; family seeks government help

‘It has been almost 80 days now and yet no one has any idea about his whereabouts. Local police in Kenya are clueless,’ says a press release issued by the family and friends.

The Balaji Telefilms Limited office of producer Ekta Kapoor in Mumbai. Zulfikar Ahmad Khan, the COO of the company’s Kenya arm is missing for the past 80 days. | Photo Credit: PTI

Months after a former Indian journalist went missing in Kenya, his family has urged the government of India to intervene and ensure his safe return. According to a press release issued by the family and friends, Zulfikar Ahmad Khan, worked as the Chief Operating Officer of Balaji Telefilms in many other places and has not been in contact since the third week of July when he was visiting Kenya.

"It's been almost 80 days now and yet no one has any idea about his whereabouts. Local police in Kenya are clueless. They have been asked by the High Court of the land to produce Zulfi but they have no idea where he is," stated the press release.

Mr. Khan began his career with Star India where became the Senior Vice-President of Advertising Sales. In Star India, he looked after channels such as Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Sports, National Geographic, Channel V. A friend who wanted to remain anonymous said that he had quit Balaji Telefilms earlier this year and was "in between jobs", and said, "What has been worrying us the most is that there is no proof of life so far."

The reports on Mr. Khan in the Kenyan media had also hinted that he was a "cyber security expert" which has been denied by the friend who reached out to The Hindu.

He informed that Mr. Khan was fond of travelling and photography, and had travelled to Russia among other destinations. He visited Kashmir and Ladakh last year and went to Kenya last summer when the country was in the middle of a heated election campaign. The friend was unable to explain if Mr. Khan might have been drawn into the unfolding politics of Kenya during his stay in the country but informed that it was the Kenyan police that had found the engine of his vehicle on and the passengers missing.

"We don't know if there is a serious search operation on to find him. We don't know if the Indian government has demanded an explanation from the Kenyan government about their missing citizen. We don't know if our own High Commission in Kenya is helping in any way," stated the press release urging the governments of Kenya and India to start a search operation to get Mr. Khan back home. At the time of his alleged abduction, Mr. Khan was 48 years old.