Pune ‘Golden Man’ Sunny Waghchoure Receives ₹5 Crore Extortion Threat in Bishnoi Gang’s Name; Police Probe Underway
Pune ‘Golden Man’ Sunny Waghchoure Receives ₹5 Crore Extortion Threat in Bishnoi Gang’s Name; Police Probe Underway
Pimpri-Chinchwad, January 31, 2026: Panic spread across Pimpri-Chinchwad after city-based businessman and social media personality Sunny Waghchoure, popularly known as the ‘Golden Man’, allegedly received an extortion threat demanding ₹5 crore in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
According to the complaint, Waghchoure was threatened via messages stating that if the extortion amount was not paid, he would be met with the same fate as Baba Siddique. The message allegedly warned that he would be shot repeatedly, using language comparing bullets to brass outweighing the gold he wears.
As per police sources, on January 25, Waghchoure received a WhatsApp call from an international number registered in Canada. The caller identified himself as Shubham Lonkar, claiming to be a member of the Bishnoi gang, and asked Waghchoure to look up the gang online before disconnecting the call.
The following evening, on January 26, Waghchoure received a threatening WhatsApp message demanding ₹5 crore within five days, stating that no power in the world could protect him and that he could be shot from anywhere if he failed to respond.
Alarmed by the threat, Waghchoure immediately approached the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate and filed a formal complaint. Taking the matter seriously, the police have launched a swift investigation. The Anti-Extortion Cell (ANC) is probing whether the threat is genuinely linked to the Bishnoi gang or if it is an attempt at impersonation and intimidation.
Police officials said further action will be taken based on technical analysis and call tracing, while security measures are being reviewed.
