Rohit Shetty firing case: 7 held; bid to harm, intimidate him

In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai Police have arrested the suspected gunman who opened fire at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu and six of his alleged accomplices in a coordinated multi-state operation spanning Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Monday.

Investigators said the 1 February attack was orchestrated by Shubham Lonkar, an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with the intent to harm the director and “instil fear and supremacy.” Lonkar, who remains absconding, had claimed responsibility for the firing through a social media post, police said.

The city crime branch’s anti-extortion cell, assisted by special task forces of the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Police, tracked down and arrested the alleged shooter, Deepak Rameshchandra Sharma, a resident of Agra, along with six others on Sunday. A Mumbai court has remanded the accused to police custody till 25 February to facilitate further interrogation.

Police told the court that custodial interrogation is necessary to unravel the larger conspiracy, trace other wanted accused — including Lonkar — and recover the firearms used in the attack, which are yet to be seized.

According to investigators, Sharma had stopped using his mobile phone to evade surveillance, while his associates used phones sparingly and only for urgent communication. “There was zero communication between the shooter and other accused after the incident. They were tracked through human intelligence inputs and technical support,” a senior official said.

More than a dozen crime branch teams were deployed across states, with the operation monitored by Joint Commissioner (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam and Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balkawade.

With the latest arrests, the total number of persons apprehended in the case has risen to 12. The accused — mostly aged between 20 and 25 — allegedly acted on Lonkar’s instructions. Among those arrested in the latest operation are Sunny Thakur, Sonu, Ritik Yadav, Jatin Bharadwaj, Vishal Thakur and Vishnu Kushwah, who is Sharma’s cousin.

Police said the accused had conducted reconnaissance of the “Singham” director’s nine-storey residential building on at least three occasions. On the night of the attack, some of them allegedly consumed alcohol nearby before Sharma proceeded to execute the plan.

At around 12.45 am on 1 February, at least five rounds were fired at the first floor of the building. One bullet struck the glass of a gym located inside the premises. No injuries were reported.

Investigations revealed that after the firing, Sharma and three associates fled in an autorickshaw to Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district. They regrouped at a co-accused’s residence before boarding a train to northern India. The accused later hid at a property in Haryana allegedly arranged by Ritik Yadav. Kalyan, police said, served as a logistical base as one of the accused had lived there for nearly two years.

Lonkar is also wanted in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique and in the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, police said.

Officials added that Lonkar’s brother, Pravin Lonkar — currently lodged in jail in another firing case — will soon be taken into custody in connection with the Shetty attack. Preliminary evidence suggests his role in supplying weapons, arranging funds and allegedly radicalising or “brainwashing” the young accused.

The police remand note states that the conspiracy was masterminded by Lonkar, who financed the operation and arranged the firearms. The accused allegedly communicated through a social media platform, which was deleted from their phones after the incident.

The case has been registered under provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.

Earlier, the crime branch had arrested Aditya Gayaki (19), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Samarth Pomaji (18), Swapnil Sakat (23) and Asaram Fasale for allegedly providing a scooter, logistical support and weapons to the shooter.

Police said further investigation is underway to trace the remaining absconding accused and recover the weapons used in the attack.

With PTI inputs