The Mumbai Crime Branch has established connections between recent threats targeting Bollywood celebrities Ranveer Singh and Aayush Sharma and the organized criminal network led by currently imprisoned gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. This development emerges alongside the ongoing investigation into the January 2024 shooting incident outside renowned filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence.
According to official investigative reports, Aayush Sharma—known professionally and as Salman Khan’s brother-in-law—received threatening communications through Proton Mail, an encrypted email service specifically designed to conceal user identities. Law enforcement authorities confirmed the sender utilized this platform to evade standard digital tracking protocols while allegedly claiming affiliation with the Bishnoi criminal organization.
Preceding this incident, actor Ranveer Singh received extortion demands via WhatsApp voice messages directed to his manager’s mobile number. Police technical analysis confirmed the perpetrator employed Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology to mask their digital footprint and geographical location. Investigators have formally documented statements from Singh’s management team.
The pattern of intimidation appears strategically coordinated against high-profile entertainment industry figures, mirroring tactics observed in the Shetty residence shooting case where the Bishnoi gang publicly claimed responsibility through social media channels.
In response to these security threats, the Mumbai Crime Branch has invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), indicating suspicion of structured criminal enterprise involvement. Five suspects were presented before a specialized MCOCA court on February 11th and remanded to police custody until February 17th following previous detention extensions justified by case severity and interrogation requirements.
Legal proceedings revealed defense challenges regarding prosecution assertions, particularly concerning alleged weapon provision by Praveen Lonkar—currently incarcerated for the homicide of Indian politician Baba Siddique. Investigators maintain accused individuals communicated via the Signal encrypted messaging application and are pursuing access to deleted correspondence records. Evidence suggests Asaram Fasle, previously employed as an automotive technician for the Bishnoi network, supplied firearms under instructions from alleged mastermind Shubham Lonkar, who is implicated in both the Siddique assassination and Shetty shooting cases.