The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 30-year-old Bengaluru-based engineer for allegedly sending extortion threats to Bollywood actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Tusshar Kapoor while posing as a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The accused, identified as Vaibhav Mishra, was arrested in Bengaluru on November 4 following an investigation into threatening messages sent to several film personalities.
Police suspect that Mishra attempted to exploit the atmosphere of fear surrounding recent threats and shooting incidents involving Bollywood celebrities to extort money. Preliminary investigations have found no evidence linking him to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, although officials said further questioning would establish the extent of his activities.
The arrest comes amid growing security concerns in the Hindi film industry following a series of threats and attacks targeting prominent actors.
According to investigators, the case came to light after Ayushmann Khurrana received a threatening message on Instagram earlier this week. The sender allegedly claimed to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and demanded several crores of rupees from the actor.
Khurrana informed the police about the message, following which the Mumbai Crime Branch launched an investigation to identify the sender.
Investigators examined the sender’s social media account and used technical evidence to trace the person behind the threats. The investigation eventually led police to Bengaluru, where Mishra was apprehended with the assistance of local police.
The accused had allegedly sent threatening audio messages to several other Bollywood personalities as well. Investigators are examining whether additional celebrities were targeted and whether the messages were part of a wider extortion attempt.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajtilak Roushan confirmed the arrest and said the accused would be brought to Mumbai after obtaining transit remand from a Bengaluru court.
The investigation also uncovered a similar threat received by actor Tusshar Kapoor a few days before Mishra’s arrest.
Kapoor had reportedly received a threatening audio messagefrom an individual identifying himself as Hari Chand Jat, also known as Harry Boxer, an alleged associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
The caller allegedly demanded ₹5 crore from the actor while threatening him in the name of the gang.
Kapoor alerted the police, who subsequently sent the audio recording for forensic examination. Investigators compared the voice in the recording with available voice samples of Harry Boxer maintained in police records.
The examination reportedly indicated that the voice did not match the known samples of the alleged gang member. This raised suspicions that someone else was impersonating him to frighten the actor and demand money.
Police now suspect that Mishra could have been behind the threatening messages sent to Kapoor and other celebrities.
Although the accused allegedly invoked the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang while sending threats, investigators have not found evidence establishing any connection between him and the criminal network.
Police believe Mishra may have attempted to take advantage of the fear created by recent incidents involving the gang to make quick money.
Officials have also indicated that similar copycat threats have surfaced in the past, with individuals impersonating gang members to intimidate prominent personalities and demand money.
The distinction is important because invoking the name of an organised criminal group does not establish that the person sending the threat is actually associated with it.
Investigators are continuing to question the accused to establish his motive, the number of people he contacted and whether anyone else was involved.
Police are also examining the digital evidence connected to the threatening messages.
According to investigators, Mishra allegedly used the auto-delete feature on social media, allowing messages to disappear after 24 hours. The Mumbai Crime Branch is expected to seek assistance from cyber forensic experts to retrieve deleted communications and establish the full sequence of events.
The accused reportedly hails from Bihar and holds a BTech degree. He was in Bengaluru and was learning Python, a programming language, before his arrest.
A case has been registered against him under Section 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to attempted extortion, following the complaint lodged by Khurrana.
Police are expected to examine his electronic devices, online accounts and communication records as part of the investigation.
The threats come against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in Bollywood following a shooting incident involving actor Tiger Shroff.
On October 18, two motorcycle-borne attackers allegedly opened fire at Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area. The actor escaped unharmed, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the attack, prompting a wider investigation into threats against Bollywood personalities.
The incident intensified concerns among actors and filmmakers, particularly after reports that several prominent celebrities had received threatening communications.
The gang has previously been associated with threats and attacks involving Bollywood personalities, including the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence in April 2024 and the shooting outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence in February 2026.
The latest arrest has brought attention to the possibility of individuals exploiting the fear surrounding organised crime groups to carry out independent extortion attempts.
