Threat e-mails to Mukesh Ambani: Two held from Telangana and Gujarat; had demanded Rs 900 cr

The officer clarified that the accused arrested from Gujarat is identified as Rajveer Khant and not as Shadab Khan as said by a police official earlier in the day.

Mumbai Police investigating the threat e-mails received by RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani nabbed two youths from Telangana and Gujarat on Saturday, officers said. The duo had demanded Rs 900 crore from the industrialist in six e-mails sent to him separately over the last eight days, they said. As per the preliminary investigation, the accused do not know each other and they were working independently, senior officers said. These e-mails were sent to the official e-mail ID of Ambani's company in the last eight days threatening to eliminate him if he fails to pay up, they said. One of the two youths, identified as Ganesh Ramesh Vanrapathi (19) was picked up by the Mumbai Police's crime branch from Warangal in Telangana and another person, identified as Rajveer Jagatsingh Khant (20), was held from Gandhinagar in Gujarat, an officer said.

The accused duo was found to be using separate email IDs, he said. The officer clarified that the accused arrested from Gujarat is identified as Rajveer Khant and not as Shadab Khan as said by a police official earlier in the day. Khant used the e-mail ID in the name of Shadab Khan, as per the investigation. ''Khant was using the email ID: shadabadkhan@mailfence.com. He had sent five e-mails to Ambani demanding Rs 400 crore, whereas Vanrapthi was using the email ID: ganeshvanaparthi91@gmail.com. He had demanded Rs 500 crore in a single mail sent to Ambani,'' the officer said. An e-mail was received by Ambani's office on October 27 in which the sender demanded Rs 20 crore stating, "If you (Ambani) do not give us Rs 20 crore, we will kill you, we have the best shooters in India." Another e-mail was received the next day seeking Rs 200 crore threatening that "If the demands are not fulfilled, a death warrant will be issued," according to police.

An FIR was lodged in Gamdevi police station based on the complaint by the industrialist's security in charge.

Another threat email was received by Ambani's company from an unidentified person seeking Rs 400 crore on Monday.

Vanrapathi was produced before a court here which remanded him to police custody till November 8. Another accused Khan is a highly-qualified student, the police official said.

Both the accused were arrested under relevant sections 387 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigation is underway, the official added.