Mukesh Ambani, India's wealthiest industrialist with a net worth of $83.4 billion and chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has once again received a death threat. Late on Friday, an individual identifying themselves as Shadab Khan sent a threatening email to Mr. Ambani's personal email address from a Belgian corporate location. The email conveyed, "If you don't give Rs 20 crore, we will kill you. We have the best shooters in India."
According to the police, Devendra Munshiram, the security incharge of the Rs 15,000-crore Antilia building on Altamount Road, reported that he was informed of the threat by Mr. Ambani's executive assistant on Friday at 9:00 pm. Mukesh Ambani is the richest Asian and ranks ninth among the world's wealthiest individuals. He already enjoys 'Z' Plus security provided by the Central government, with government security personnel forming the primary security layer, complemented by private guards. Mr. Ambani's family members also have government security based on threat assessments by the police. Following the recent threat, security around the Ambanis and their residence has been significantly enhanced, including their daughter Isha's residence at Worli seaface. The family has also been advised to avoid public events for the time being.
The Gamdevi Police, responsible for Antilia's jurisdiction, have registered a case against an unknown individual under IPC sections 387 (putting a person in fear of death or grievous harm for extortion) and 506 (2) (Criminal intimidation) of the IPC, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act. An investigation is underway, in collaboration with the cyber police, with plans for forensic analysis of the threatening email.
In a previous incident in October of the previous year, an individual had called the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in South Mumbai, run by the Ambanis, and threatened to bomb the hospital and harm Mr. Ambani, his wife Nita, and sons Akash and Anant.
In February 2021, an abandoned SUV containing approximately 20 gelatin sticks and a threatening letter was discovered near Antilia. The letter contained threats to Mr. Ambani and Nita. During the investigation of this case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested police encounter specialist Sachin Vaze. Several individuals were apprehended in connection with this incident. A group named Jaish-Ul-Hind initially claimed responsibility for the gelatin-laden SUV but later issued a denial.
Notably, the NIA, in its charge sheet for this case, revealed that a cyber expert named Ishan Sinha, who had worked for the Mumbai Police, claimed that he was summoned by the then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh and asked to tamper with his report. The NIA stated that Mr. Singh, who is now retired, had instructed Sinha to include the name of the terrorist organization Jaish ul Hindi in his report and had even provided Rs 5 lakhs in cash from the commissioner's secret fund to Mr. Sinha. Despite the gravity of the offense, no FIR has been filed by the NIA. The state government also exonerated Mr. Singh in this matter.
Another email received after complaint filed
On Saturday, the person who sent the threatening email to Mukesh Ambani sent another an email from the same email ID.
"You did not respond to our email, now you will give us Rs 200 crores. If you do not give the money, your death warrant will be signed," the email read.
