IIT graduate held in Bengaluru for threatening Ayushmann Khurrana, Tusshar Kapoor posing as Bishnoi gang member

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has arrested a 30-year-old IT engineer from Bengaluru for allegedly sending extortion threats and demanding crores of rupees from Bollywood actors. The arrest comes after extortion demands were made to Tusshar Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana by an unidentified individual claiming to be from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

The police tracked down and arrested Vaibhav Mishra in Bengaluru after the cyber and crime branch traced his digital trail. Investigators believe Vaibhav was just looking for some quick money and tried to cash in on the wave of panic over recent gang threats from the Bishnoi gang targeting celebrities.

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The investigation began after the actors reported to the authorities about intimidating Instagram messages and voice recordings. Forensic analysis of the audio clips provided a crucial lead: the voice pattern sent to Tusshar Kapoor failed to match police voice samples of known associate Harry Boxxer.

According to law enforcement sources, Vaibhav targeted several Mumbai-based celebrities via social media over recent weeks. After the Tiger Shroff shooting incident, Bollywood actors are receiving extortion calls, with Tusshar Kapoor being hit for Rs 5 crore in a voice message by a caller posing as Bishnoi gang associate "Harry Boxxer" (Hari Chand Jat).

In a similar incident, Dream Girl star Ayushmann Khurrana also received threatening audio messages demanding several crores, citing underworld backing.

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Working backward from the social media handles used to dispatch the threats, the cybercrime units traced the digital footprint directly to Bengaluru.

"We have taken the suspect into custody in Bengaluru," confirmed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajtilak Roushan, adding that officers are seeking a transit remand to transport Mishra to Mumbai for detailed interrogation.

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Preliminary findings indicate that Mishra, an IIT graduate working in Bengaluru's tech sector, acted independently and has no operational ties to the Bishnoi syndicate.

Investigators believe he opportunistically seized upon recent security scares in the Hindi film industry, assuming the gang's notorious reputation would pressure high-profile targets into paying.

Mishra faces charges under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) covering criminal intimidation, extortion, and provisions of the Information Technology Act. Further interrogation is ongoing to confirm whether any accomplices were involved in the crime.