Anoushka Shankar’s photos accessed,being blackmailed: Delhi Police

Sources said investigators have zeroed in on a Mumbai-based individual as a key suspect in the case and an arrest could happen “soon”. A Delhi Police team is also likely to visit Mumbai.

According to her official website,Anoushka Shankar is scheduled to perform at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles tomorrow night as part of an “India Calling” concert.

Sources said that according to the letter written by Pandit Ravi Shankar to the Union Home Ministry,Anoushka,who has a house in Delhi — she also lives in California — sent her laptop for repair to an Apple service centre in south Delhi in February this year.

“It’s likely that some material stored in the laptop was copied without informing her. But everything will be clear only after investigations are complete,” said the source. The staff at the service centre have been questioned.

In his letter,Pandit Ravi Shankar is said to have provided details of a probe by a private US-based investigative agency.

According to this,sources said,the alleged “blackmailer” sent a series of emails — in one,he even asked for $100,000. Some of these emails were sent from outside India. “However,the internet protocol address as well as the GPRS connection through which these mails were sent belong to an Indian citizen,” said a source.

Given that part of the offence could have been committed on foreign soil by an Indian,a mandatory sanction under Section 188 of the CrPC is being sought from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Despite repeated attempts,Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal was unavailable for comment.