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US detective agency helped to nab Anoushka’s stalker

Extortionist Junaid Ahmad Khan’s emails to the musician were answered by private detective agency Gavin de Becker.

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Thane-based businessman Junaid Ahmad Khan may have been sending emails to legendary musician Pandit Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka Shankar, but it was a US-based private detective agency that replied to his mails.

The agency posing as Anoushka lured him into divulging all his details, leading to his arrest by the special cell of the Delhi police on charges of blackmailing the musician. He was sent to judicial custody after his arrest on September 21.

The sitar player has revealed that she had hired the firm, Gavin de Becker, in the US when she first got a mail from Khan about six months ago. "Even though the extortion case became public only recently, this matter has been under investigation for several months by criminal investigators with Gavin de Becker in the US," said Anoushka's assistant Jennifer Braxmeyer in a statement emailed to DNA. "While Anoushka was made aware of every email sent by the extortionist, replies to him were actually composed by criminal investigators — not by Anoushka. Emails supposedly from Anoushka were actually written by investigators to draw out the extortionist. No content in any email is actually Anoushka's."

After a few months of investigation, when it became clear that Khan was allegedly trying to extort money from her, the investigators started to compile a dossier that was finally handed over to the Delhi police.

"When it became clear that material had been stolen from Anoushka and the extortionist was demanding money, a 29-page report from the US investigators was provided to Indian officials, who investigated further and later made the arrest," Braxmeyer added.

Braxmeyer revealed that Khan had allegedly got hold of some objectionable pictures of Anoushka, which he threatened to "sell" to a tabloid. "The extortionist made several references to selling material to tabloids. Though we do not know all details about the material he had in his possession, we're told it includes some photos that might have been modified or Photoshopped, as well as stolen emails that might also have been modified to enhance their value."

Far from Khan being a personal friend, Anoushka claimed through her manager that she had never met him in her life. "Contrary to some media reports, Anoushka has never met the man who has been arrested. Prior to the investigation, she had never heard his name," the emailed statement said.

Now that the ordeal is over, Anoushka indicated that she is ready to back up her case but stopped short of saying whether she would be available in court to depose against Khan.

"Anoushka is grateful that police in India pursued the matter," the statement said. "Since internet crimes are a frequent fact of life affecting so many people these days, Anoushka is hopeful that a successful outcome in this case will deter others from similar crimes. Despite the repercussions and public angle to it, Anoushka's upbringing and strong family support made her take a stand against this heinous act of blackmail and do what she believes in."

This is the first time Anoushka has spoken after Khan's arrest. The arrest happened when she was about to conduct an orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, the second Indian after Zubin Mehta to do so. The statement was made immediately after Anoushka's return from a dinner in New York hosted by queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan, Wendi Murdoch, and Indra Nooyi along with several heads of state to discuss how one can lower the mortality rate for pregnant and delivering women.

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