A shooting outside a money-exchange office in Haryana's Panipat in March, another at a singer’s gym in Delhi in June, and gunfire targeting a Bollywood actor in Mumbai on Sunday (October 18) have a common thread. These shooting incidents, intended as threats, were carried out in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. One name that has repeatedly cropped up in connection with these incidents over the past seven months is Anil Pandit, an alleged member of the transnational gang.
In an audio recording that emerged after the Tiger Shroff shooting, a man claiming to be Anil Pandit warned Bollywood celebrities against working with actor Salman Khan.
"Sabka number aayega," Pandit said in the audio clip, meaning "Everyone's turn will come," in a warning directed at Bollywood celebrities.
Anil Pandit, believed to be operating from the US, first drew attention in March when a social media post attributed to him and another gang member claimed responsibility for a firing in Panipat and threatened rapper Badshah. In June, another purported post attributed to Pandit claimed responsibility for a shooting outside Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa's gym in Delhi. Investigators subsequently linked four suspects arrested in the gym-firing case to Pandit, who is allegedly associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Now, Pandit has claimed responsibility for the October 18 firing targeting actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai's Juhu area. The actor escaped without gunshot injuries, but his driver was injured, and the attack triggered a major police investigation.
The latest shooting, for which Pandit has claimed responsibility, has once again brought the alleged US-based gangster and his links to the Bishnoi gang into focus. Earlier police investigations show that his name has surfaced not just in threats posted online, but also in cases involving hired gunmen, illegal firearms and money allegedly sent from abroad to carry out attacks in India.
WHO IS ANIL PANDIT?
Anil Pandit is an alleged overseas operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who is believed to be based in the United States. His name has appeared alongside other alleged gang members, including Randeep Malik, Harry Boxer and Harman Sandhu, in responsibility claims and police investigations involving shootings in India.
Police have linked suspects arrested in the June attack on Guru Randhawa's gym to Pandit. However, his precise position in the gang's hierarchy, current whereabouts and role in the latest Mumbai shooting have not been conclusively established.
Following the attack on Tiger Shroff, an online message from an account bearing the name "Anil Pandit Anmol Bishnoi" surfaced, claiming responsibility for the shooting. The account was subsequently deleted, while an audio recording attributed to Pandit also emerged. Mumbai Police are investigating the attack and examining the authenticity of the claims.
MARCH 14 FIRING IN PANIPAT AND THREAT TO BADSHAH
The first major incident linking Pandit's name to a celebrity threat this year occurred on March 14, 2026. Three motorcycle-borne assailants fired seven rounds at Haast Forex, a money-exchange office on Assandh Road in Haryana's Panipat. According to The Tribune newspaper, three people, including a woman, were inside the establishment when the shooting occurred.
Later that evening, a social media message attributed to Randeep Malik and Anil Pandit, both described as being in the US, claimed responsibility.
The message accused the money-exchange establishment of involvement in illegal hawala transactions and warned of further attacks.
It also threatened rapper Badshah, accusing him of damaging Haryana's culture. India Today reported on March 15 that the message also referred to a 2024 incident at a club in Chandigarh, where members of the Bishnoi gang allegedly tried to intimidate Badshah. The message claimed that the rapper had been warned earlier but had failed to take the threat seriously.
The shooting itself targeted the money-exchange office in Panipat, not Badshah.
The investigation subsequently led to four arrests. On March 29, The Tribune reported that police had arrested Pranjal, a resident of Rathdhana village in Sonipat district, for allegedly facilitating communication between the shooters and overseas handlers.
Inspector Phool Kumar, in-charge of Panipat Police's CIA-1 unit, told The Tribune that investigators found that the overseas handlers had promised money to the accused and transferred Rs 65,000 into the bank account of one suspect, Sandeep.
Three other accused, Sandeep, Krishan alias Kaku and Kunal, had been arrested earlier on March 21.
JUNE 11 SHOOTING AT GURU RANDHAWA'S GYM
Nearly three months later, on June 11, two masked men on a motorcycle fired seven rounds at 24 HS Fitness, a gym associated with Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa in New Delhi's Paschim Vihar. The bullets shattered glass panes, but nobody was injured.
Later, a purported Facebook post attributed to Anil Pandit claimed responsibility, alleging that Randhawa had ignored warnings to distance himself from actor Salman Khan.
The Indian Express reported that an audio recording attributed to Pandit contained the warning, "This is just the trailer. We will kill him soon."
Delhi Police subsequently arrested four suspects; Arman, Tushar, Sagar and Haqeeqat. The last two were arrested following a police encounter on June 25.
Investigators alleged that the four had acted on instructions from Pandit and Harry Boxer, another overseas-based Bishnoi gang operative. Police also recovered a Pakistan-made TT-30-style pistol from one of the suspects.
A July 7 investigation in The Indian Express revealed that the accused had allegedly obtained foreign-made firearms on June 10, a day before the attack. The same network was also linked to the killing of gym trainer Kapil Redhu in Haryana's Hansi on June 11.
The police said the suspects communicated with overseas handlers through encrypted messaging applications, including Signal and Zangi.
Signal, developed by the US-based non-profit Signal Foundation, is an encrypted messaging app known for its privacy features, including end-to-end encrypted chats and calls, and is used worldwide by journalists, activists, terrorists, and privacy-conscious users. Zangi, developed by an Armenian-founded company, is also a privacy-focused messaging and calling app known for low-bandwidth communication, end-to-end encryption and minimal data collection. People across several regions, including the Middle East and South Asia, use the app.
JULY 12 EXTORTION PLOT AND FIREARMS SUPPLY
Pandit's alleged role was not confined to shooting threats against celebrities. On July 12, Delhi Police announced the arrest of three suspected members of a Bishnoi-linked module accused of plotting to extort businessmen and carry out targeted killings in Delhi-NCR.
The investigation began after a Rohini businessman complained on March 8 about threatening calls from overseas numbers demanding Rs 1 crore.
The three arrested men were identified as Shiv Govind, Abhinav alias Akash Singh and Vivek. Police recovered three pistols, including a Beretta, and 26 live cartridges.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Shashank Jaiswal, investigators recovered reconnaissance material showing residences and jewellery shops that had allegedly been surveyed as potential targets. Police named Pandit as the suspected supplier of the illegal firearms and alleged that he operated under Harry Boxer's directions.
An accused, Abhinav, had previously been arrested in connection with the 2024 murder of Delhi gym owner Nadir Shah.
SEPTEMBER 17 FIRING AT DILER KHARKIYA'S CAR
On September 17, a motorcycle-borne assailant fired at a Range Rover belonging to Haryanvi singer Diler Kharkiya outside his farmhouse near Kharak village in Bhiwani district. Kharkiya was not present when the shooting occurred.
Chandigarh-based newspaper, The Tribune, reported on September 18 that investigators were examining the alleged involvement of Pandit's network. A social media post bearing his name subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack.
On October 3, police arrested Rohit alias Budha following an encounter in Sonipat. According to an October 4 report in The Tribune, Rohit was wanted in connection with the Kharkiya shooting and other criminal cases.
So, from Panipat to Delhi and now Mumbai, Pandit's name has surfaced in a series of shootings and threats over the past seven months. A money-exchange office in Haryana is on his radar.
So are the biggest names in India's entertainment industry. Police investigations have revealed a network of local shooters allegedly receiving instructions, weapons and money from handlers based abroad, like Pandit. The attack on Tiger Shroff has raised questions about how gangsters operating thousands of kilometres away continue to threaten people and allegedly orchestrate violence on Indian streets.
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(Written by Sushim Mukul)