Missing former Balaji executive Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan killed in Kenya - Reports

Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan, the former Balaji Telefilms COO who has been missing since July 21, may have been killed by Kenya’s disbanded DCI unit according to a  PTI report. Khan and his friend another Indian Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai, who were part of the Kenya Kwanza digital campaign team went missing along with a local taxi driver Nicodemus Mwania from Mombasa Road in July. The news agency also stated that Kenya President’s aide Dennis Itumbi revealed to them that the Special Service Unit (SSU) a group that had engaged in several extrajudicial killings had orchestrated the disappearances of Khan and Kidwai.

Itumbi, who is also a noted journalist, made a heartfelt post on Facebook that described how instrumental both Khan and Kidwai were to the success of President Ruto’s campaign. He claimed that whenever their team needed graphical designing the duo would always help them readily. “Sometimes when our team was overwhelmed and we needed graphics, I sent (material) their way and they paused whatever they were doing and did me the favour,” he wrote. He also shared his personal experience working with the duo. “They visited Mombasa, Homa Bay, (Masai) Mara, nyama choma joints and loved our dance joints too. They invited me to India; I told them I would visit after (the) elections. Their eyes were primarily on enjoying Kenya as much as they could. When they sat down, they produced very appealing content,” the journalist described. 

According to The Nation newspaper, President Ruto had ordered the disbandment of the Special Service Unit after the two Indians were reported to be missing and the Kenyan government suspected that the SSU might have been involved. Ever since the former Balaji executive went missing, his family and friends have made several attempts to track his whereabouts. Balaji Telefilms honcho and small-screen heartthrob Karan Kundrra who had worked with Khan for a reality TV show ‘Lock Up, took to social media to urge the Indian government to take action to trace him. While there has been no official confirmation by the Indian government, it is learnt that Khan, 48, was caught in the bitter fight between political parties in Kenya, which witnessed elections in August this year. William Ruto won the elections and became the President of Kenya in September this year, after defeating incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta. It is learnt that Khan was tapped by Ruto’s team, which was in the Opposition, for helping with the social media campaign. This is understood to have not gone down well with the ruling establishment in Kenya, which was led by President Kenyatta. As a result, he was abducted  a claim substantiated by President Ruto’s aide, Dennis Itumbi.