Bollywood actor Aayush Sharma, who is married to Salman Khan's sister, allegedly received a threatening email on February 12. The extortion email demanded crores of rupees from the actor. Sources told ABP News that the investigation into the case suggests that the email was sent by an unidentified individual and appears to have originated from Sweden.
Aayush Sharma Threat Case
During the preliminary investigation, officials found that the email had been sent through Proton Mail, which is an encrypted service. The sender reportedly claimed links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and demanded several crores of rupees from the actor.
Since the digital forensics localised the email’s origin to Sweden, authorities have reached out to the concerned Swedish agency, seeking detailed information to verify the source and identity of the sender.
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As part of the ongoing inquiry, the Crime Branch has recorded the statement of Aayush Sharma’s manager. However, no FIR has been registered in the case so far.
Threat Note Sent To Ranveer Singh
In a separate but similar incident, actor Ranveer Singh was also targeted by a sender claiming to be part of the same criminal gang. Singh’s manager received a threatening voice note via WhatsApp.
Although the sender attempted to hide their location using a VPN, investigators successfully traced the digital trail back to the United States. The Mumbai Crime Branch is now following international protocols to work with the officials in the US for further details on the registered phone number, sources told ABP News.
Ranveer Singh has also recorded his testimony with the Mumbai Police. Officials are currently exploring the theory that these high-profile threats are part of a coordinated intimidation campaign designed to harass and extort major figures within the Indian film industry.
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The threats came after five rounds were fired at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu. Following the incident, in a massive multi-state operation involving task forces from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the Mumbai Crime Branch has apprehended 12 suspects. A Mumbai court has remanded the accused in police custody until February 25.
The investigation into the case so far suggests that a group calling itself “Hindu Sainiks” recruited the primary shooter and six accomplices through social media. They were reportedly enticed by promises of quick money. The main assailant was allegedly given a Rs 50,000 down payment, with the guarantee of a much larger sum once the task was finished, though police are still cross-referencing these financial records.
The financial trail indicates that a logistics cell based in Pune received roughly Rs 60,000 for its support. Not just this, a seven-person hit squad from Uttar Pradesh was reportedly paid Rs 1 lakh for their role in the shooting. Authorities noted that these figures remain subject to verification, as the suspects have provided conflicting statements during interrogation.
On February 18, the Mumbai Crime Branch recovered the firearm used in the Rohit Shetty house shooting and sent it for forensic analysis.