Mumbai Police arrest 19-year-old man from Telangana over death threats to Mukesh Ambani

Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested a 19-year-old youth for sending email death threats and demanding a ransom of Rs 400 crore from Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).

The accused, identified as Ganesh Ramesh Vanpardh, is a resident of Telangana. "Industrialist Mukesh Ambani received two threat emails once again between October 31 and November 1, warning him of serious consequences for ignoring previous emails wherein the person (sender of the mail) had demanded Rs 400 crore," said Mumbai Police.

According to the police, Vanpardh had sent multiple emails to Ambani and his family members over the past few months, threatening to kill them if they did not pay him the ransom.

The accused was produced before the court and has been remanded in police custody until November 8.

Following the arrest of the 19-year-old from Telangana, the Mumbai crime branch detained a 21-year-old from Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Saturday, November 4, for allegedly sending threatening emails to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Ambani had received his third death threat on Monday in the past few months, this time demanding a ransom of Rs. 400 crore. The email was sent from the same email ID as the previous two threats, and was traced back to Belgium.

The Mumbai Police have already increased security around Ambani's residence, Antilia on Altamount Road, in response to the threats. "Now the amount is 400 crore, and the police can't track and arrest me. No matter how good your security is, only one of our snipers can kill you," the sender wrote in a threatening email.

The Mumbai Police have contacted the Belgian-based email service provider in search of information about the sender.

Last Friday, a man claiming to be Shadab Khan sent a threatening email to Mukesh Ambani, demanding a Rs. 20 crore ransom. This communication emanated from a Belgian corporate address. The ominous message starkly read, "If you don't give Rs. 20 crore, we will kill you. We have the best shooters in India."

A second threat, from the same email ID, was issued on Saturday, ramping up the ransom to Rs. 200 crore as no response had been given. The sender promised a signed death warrant if compliance remained absent.

These threats came to light when Ambani's executive assistant alerted Devendra Munshiram, the security in charge of the Antilia establishment on Altamount Road, about these unsettling communications. As investigations unfold, these peculiar developments heighten anxiety surrounding the security of one of India’s most significant business magnates.

Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man and ninth on the world's rich list, already has 'Z' Plus security from the central government. Government security forces comprise the primary security layer around him, with private guards forming the secondary ring.

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