The investigation into Mohammad Dilshad Naushad — the accused who allegedly sent threatening emails to NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique and Indian cricketer Rinku Singh — has taken an international twist. The police have now discovered that Naushad had also sent extortion emails to a prominent foreign businessman, demanding a hefty ransom and invoking the name of the underworld outfit D-Company to instil fear.

According to sources, the 33-year-old accused from Darbhanga, Bihar, operated with a sophisticated cyber setup and sent the threatening emails from abroad, using foreign IP addresses to mask his location. The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch has filed a 90-page charge sheet in the case, which includes statements from eight witnesses — among them two event managers associated with Rinku Singh.