A very noticeable attempt at getting money through threats – an extortion – has brought new attention to links between the film business and organised crime, after the actor Ranveer Singh was sent a threatening voice message on WhatsApp asking for 10 crore rupees. The Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch is widening its investigation having found the message came from a phone number in the United States.
What the voice note said and who is thought to have sent it
Police state the voice note was delivered to Ranveer Singh’s manager and clearly asked for 10 crore rupees. Early work on the message suggests the voice is that of Harry Boxer, who is described as a specialist working for the Bishnoi gang. The message said that staff and family would be specifically attacked and that the sender knew a lot about where employees went. Police are using the recording as a key part of their evidence as they gather supporting information.
What the Crime Branch is doing and asking for help from abroad
The Mumbai Crime Branch has begun a first look at the case, but hasn’t yet officially registered a First Information Report – a FIR. Police have taken statements from people who saw what happened, including the actor’s manager, and have given the actor’s home extra security. As the WhatsApp message came from a number in the United States, police have started the process of contacting the correct American organisations. Finding the number and getting details about the number are most important, so they can find where it was sent from and who owns it.
How this relates to recent violent things done by the Bishnoi gang
This investigation happens not long after shots were fired at the Mumbai home of film-maker Rohit Shetty. Police found very fast 7.62 mm bullets and arrested three people, with people saying the attack was linked to the Bishnoi gang. Investigators have also connected several people in the gang to earlier events, including other shootings near well-known people. These links have made people more worried that organised criminal groups are aiming at a number of people in the industry.
Other threats to people in the industry and how police are responding
Ranveer Singh isn’t the only person targeted. The actor Ayush Sharma is said to have been sent a similar threatening voice message asking for crores of rupees. Also, a different email threat was sent to a family member of another important person in the industry in the days after the Shetty incident. Police sources say that police units are working together to put threats on a map, look at digital evidence and decide what further legal actions to take. The fact that a FIR hasn’t been made yet shows that collecting evidence is still going on, and that police are working with the law in other countries.
What the law and security mean for the film industry
These events show the increasing dangers of attempts at getting money from across countries which make use of secret messaging and numbers from overseas. Police have the difficult job of keeping people safe while following digital clues which cross borders. The first things that people who work in the industry need to do are to make their own personal security better, to control access for staff more tightly, and to quickly report all threats. In the long run, the authorities will likely want to make official charges when finding the number internationally gives certain links to people like Harry Boxer.
What happens next in the investigation
The Crime Branch will keep on analysing the voice, ask American police for details about the number, and put together a file of evidence which might be used in court. More arrests might happen if investigators prove links between the WhatsApp message and gang people who are already known. Officials say that being patient and following correct procedure is vital to turn early clues into proof which can be used in court. In the meantime, the actors who have been affected and their teams are given extra protection while the investigation goes on.
