Delhi Police foil Bollywood actor attack, extortion plot; two arrested
Synopsis
The Delhi Police Special Cell simultaneously foiled two separate plots — an extortion shooting targeting a Delhi businessman and a planned attack on a Bollywood actor — by arresting two Punjab-origin operatives acting on orders from a foreign-based fugitive gangster. One of those arrested is also a suspect in the October murder of Instagram influencer Mad Sandhu in Amritsar, raising the stakes of what is shaping up as a transnational organised crime crackdown.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Vikas Thakur alias Vicky (Jalandhar, Punjab) and Deep alias Deepak Singh (Tarn Taran, Punjab) on 14 November 2026 .
The arrests foiled both an extortion-driven shooting targeting a Delhi businessman and a planned attack on a Bollywood actor in Mumbai.
Deep is a suspect in the murder of Instagram influencer Mad Sandhu in Amritsar on 3 October , allegedly carried out on instructions from the same foreign-based gangster.
Both accused were acting on orders from foreign-based fugitive gangsters ; the planned Bollywood attack was reportedly motivated by the actor's alleged anti-Sikh remarks in 1984 .
An FIR dated 3 November under Section 25 of the Arms Act has been registered at the Delhi Special Cell Police Station.
Interrogations are ongoing; Punjab Police coordination is expected as the investigation widens.
The Delhi Police Special Cell on Saturday, 14 November arrested two men — one from Mumbai — after thwarting both an extortion-driven shooting plot targeting a prominent local businessman and a planned attack on a well-known Bollywood actor in New Delhi. The operation marks a significant strike against an organised crime network operating on instructions from a foreign-based fugitive gangster.
The Arrests and How They Unfolded
The operation was led by Inspector Pankaj Chauhan and Inspector Suresh Chand Chaudhary, under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Tyagi. The first accused, Vikas Thakur alias Vicky, a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab, was detained in Delhi after he travelled from Mumbai specifically to carry out a targeted shooting on a local businessman, acting on orders from a foreign-based gangster.
Following that arrest, swift intelligence-led coordination led investigators to Mumbai, where they apprehended the second accused, Deep alias Deepak Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran, Punjab. A criminal case under an FIR dated 3 November has been registered at the Delhi Special Cell Police Station under Section 25 of the Arms Act in connection with Thakur's arrest.
Links to the Murder of Instagram Influencer Mad Sandhu
Deep alias Deepak Singh carries a grave prior criminal record. On 3 October, Deep, along with an associate Palwinder alias Kaka, allegedly targeted and killed Instagram influencer Mad Sandhu in Amritsar, Punjab, acting on instructions from the same fugitive foreign-based gangster. Palwinder was subsequently arrested by the Punjab Police, while Deep fled to Mumbai and had been evading arrest ever since.
Notably, Deep had been in hiding in Mumbai — a city far from Punjab — specifically to distance himself from the Sandhu murder case while awaiting further instructions. This is the second time the same gangster network has been linked to a high-profile targeted killing within India in under two months.
The Bollywood Threat: What Police Found
According to officials, Deep was subsequently directed by the foreign-based gangster to extend his stay in Mumbai so he could execute an attack on a prominent Bollywood actor. The motive cited by police was the actor's alleged anti-Sikh remarks in 1984. The actor has not been named in official communications. Investigators said Thakur later linked Deep to a second foreign-based gangster, expanding the criminal network's operational reach inside India.
How the Network Operated
The two accused were part of a transnational organised crime structure. Thakur took on a separate assignment from another gangster — an extortion-motivated shooting of a Delhi businessman — and brought Deep into contact with that syndicate as well. The plan required Thakur to reach Delhi first, with Deep set to join later. Both were intercepted by the Special Cell before either target could be harmed.
This comes amid a broader pattern of foreign-based gangsters — reportedly operating from countries including Canada, Malaysia, and parts of Europe — remotely directing contract violence inside India, using local operatives as proxies. The Delhi Police Special Cell has been at the forefront of several such busts in recent months.
What Happens Next
Both accused are in custody and are being interrogated to establish the full chain of command, identify the foreign-based gangster or gangsters involved, and uncover any other operatives deployed within the country. Punjab Police are also expected to coordinate with Delhi authorities given Deep's connection to the Sandhu murder case. Further arrests are likely as investigators map the larger network.
Point of View
Suggesting a level of operational ambition that goes well beyond extortion rackets. What is striking is how Deep allegedly used Mumbai as a safe house after the Sandhu killing, exploiting jurisdictional gaps between Punjab and Maharashtra police. The Delhi Special Cell's cross-state coordination here is commendable, but the deeper question — why fugitive gangsters operating from abroad continue to find willing local shooters — demands a structural answer, not just case-by-case arrests.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the two men arrested by Delhi Police on 14 November?
The two men arrested are Vikas Thakur alias Vicky , a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab, and Deep alias Deepak Singh , a resident of Tarn Taran, Punjab. Both were acting on instructions from a foreign-based fugitive gangster and were intercepted by the Delhi Police Special Cell before they could carry out their assignments.
What attack on a Bollywood actor was foiled by Delhi Police?
Police say Deep alias Deepak Singh was directed by a foreign-based gangster to attack a prominent Bollywood actor in Mumbai, reportedly over the actor's alleged anti-Sikh remarks in 1984. The actor's name has not been officially disclosed. Deep was apprehended in Mumbai before the attack could be executed.
Who is Mad Sandhu, and how is Deep connected to his murder?
Mad Sandhu was an Instagram influencer who was killed in Amritsar, Punjab, on 3 October. Deep alias Deepak Singh is a suspect in that murder, allegedly carried out alongside Palwinder alias Kaka on the instructions of the same foreign-based gangster. Palwinder was arrested by Punjab Police; Deep fled to Mumbai and evaded capture until this operation.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A criminal case under an FIR dated 3 November has been registered at the Delhi Special Cell Police Station under Section 25 of the Arms Act in connection with the arrest of Vikas Thakur. Investigators are likely to add further charges as interrogation progresses and links to other crimes are established.
What is the broader threat from foreign-based gangsters directing attacks inside India?
Foreign-based fugitive gangsters have increasingly used remote communication to direct contract violence inside India, recruiting local operatives as shooters. This case involves at least two such gangsters who allegedly orchestrated a Punjab murder, an extortion shooting in Delhi, and a planned Bollywood attack — all within weeks. Law enforcement agencies have flagged this as a growing organised crime challenge with transnational dimensions.
