Mumbai Police Arrest IT Engineer for Extortion Threats Against Bollywood Actors

Mumbai: Mumbai Police have arrested a 30-year-old Bengaluru-based IT engineer for allegedly sending extortion threats to Bollywood actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Tusshar Kapoor in the name of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang. The accused, identified as Vaibhav Mishra, was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch following a technical investigation. Police suspect that he used the gang’s name to intimidate celebrities and extort money. Ayushmann Khurrana reportedly received an audio message from a person claiming links with the Bishnoi gang and demanding crores of rupees. Tusshar Kapoor had earlier received a similar threat from a caller identifying himself as Harry Boxer, who allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore from the actor. Early preliminary investigations have not found any evidence connecting Mishra to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police believe that he may have tried to cash in on the scare over the recent threats issued against bollywood celebs. They are analyzing the audio recordings and digital evidence to determine the motive of the accused and other attempted extortions. The arrest comes days after a firing incident targeting actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on October 18. The Bishnoi gang had reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. Police are now investigating whether the accused acted independently or had any wider network involved in the threats. Further investigation into this matter is underway.