Mumbai police have arrested a man from West Bengal for allegedly making extortion calls demanding ₹1 crore from popular comedian and actor Kapil Sharma. According to officials, the accused, identified as Dilip Choudhary, was caught by the Mumbai Crime Branch after he allegedly posed as a member of notorious gangster networks. He reportedly used the names of Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar, both infamous figures in the criminal underworld, to intimidate the comedian.
Investigators revealed that Choudhary not only made repeated calls but also sent threatening videos to Sharma. Between September 22 and 23, the comedian received nearly seven calls demanding the hefty sum. Following his arrest, the accused was presented in a Mumbai court and has been remanded in police custody until September 30.
Police are now investigating whether Choudhary has any actual connections with the gangsters whose names he invoked, or if he used their notoriety as a ploy to instill fear and extract money.
MNS Warning to Kapil Sharma’s Show
In a separate development, Kapil Sharma’s Netflix show, The Great Indian Kapil Show, has come under fire from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The controversy erupted after a guest on the show referred to Mumbai as “Bombay,” the city’s former name.
Ameya Khopkar, head of the MNS film wing, issued a stern warning on X (formerly Twitter). He reminded the entertainment industry that the city was officially renamed Mumbai by the Maharashtra government in 1995 and later by the central government in 1996.
“Even after three decades, Bollywood celebrities, anchors, and even parliamentarians continue to use the word Bombay. This is disrespectful. A humble request-cum-warning is being made to ensure the name Mumbai is respected and used,” Khopkar wrote.
