Pimpri Businessman and Film Financer Targeted in Rs 5 Crore Extortion Plot
A prominent Pimpri-based businessman and film financer has become the latest target of an alleged extortion racket linked to the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local business community and Bollywood circles, highlighting the growing audacity of criminal networks in Maharashtra.
Victim's Profile and Political Connections
The victim, identified as Sunny Nana Waghchoure, 37, is a resident of Nehru Nagar in Pimpri. He runs a scrap business through his steel trading company and has diversified into film financing, having worked on Bollywood projects like Zila Ghaziabad. Waghchoure recently joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in a high-profile event attended by former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, adding a political dimension to the case.
Waghchoure is no stranger to the limelight. He has appeared on popular television shows such as Kapil Sharma’s comedy program and The Khatra Khatra Show. With approximately 25 million Instagram followers, he has cultivated a significant social media presence. His flamboyant style, including wearing about three kilograms of gold ornaments at various events, has contributed to his public persona.
Details of the Extortion Threat
According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Sant Tukaram Nagar police station in Pimpri Chinchwad, the extortion attempt began on the evening of January 25. Waghchoure received two missed calls on WhatsApp from an international number, which he ignored. Shortly after, he received a message reading "Shubham Lonkar, Cl me," followed by another WhatsApp call that he answered.
The caller identified himself as Shubham Lonkar, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Lonkar is a wanted accused in the murder case of former MLA Baba Siddique in Mumbai. The FIR states that the caller instructed Waghchoure to search for his name on Google, presumably to intimidate him with his criminal notoriety.
The threats escalated the next day, on January 26, when Waghchoure received another WhatsApp call from an international number. After he did not answer, a follow-up message demanded Rs 5 crore as extortion money. The message explicitly threatened Waghchoure with death, warning that he would be killed like Baba Siddique if the amount was not paid within five days.
Police Investigation and Legal Action
Following the threats, Waghchoure contacted his lawyer, Atish Landge, and filed a formal police complaint. The Pimpri Chinchwad police have registered a case under Section 308 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the accused, Shubham Lonkar. The crime branch has taken over the investigation, which is currently underway.
Authorities suspect that the accused may have used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to mask their location while making the extortion calls. Investigators are also probing whether the calls were genuinely made by Lonkar or by an impersonator using his name to carry out the extortion. This aspect adds complexity to the case, as it raises questions about the authenticity of the threats and the potential involvement of other criminal elements.
The incident underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in tackling cyber-enabled extortion schemes, especially when international numbers and VPNs are involved. It also highlights the vulnerability of high-profile individuals in the entertainment and business sectors to such criminal activities.
