Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday challenged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to bring jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to Mumbai for interrogation regarding the series of attacks in the city.
Sapkal, in a statement, claimed that the firing on actor Tiger Shroff had once again exposed the law-and-order situation in Maharashtra.
Two gunmen shot at Shroff in Mumbai's Juhu area on Sunday evening, with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang later claiming responsibility for the attack in an unverified social media post. The actor escaped unhurt in the shooting, though his driver and another person sustained injuries.
"Who is Bishnoi to the BJP? The Bishnoi gang cannot operate from the Ahmedabad jail without the government's blessings," the Congress leader alleged.
Instead of making hollow announcements, Fadnavis should show the courage to take Bishnoi into custody, bring him to Mumbai, interrogate him and file a case against him, he said.
He further cited the murder of former state minister Baba Siddique, along with earlier firing incidents at the residences of actor Salman Khan and filmmaker Rohit Shetty, noting that the Bishnoi gang's involvement had surfaced in each case.
"Why has this mafia member not been interrogated so far? Who has tied the hands of the Maharashtra Police?" the Congress leader asked.
Citing an August 2023 Union Home Ministry order issued under Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), he claimed it prevented police from taking Bishnoi outside Gujarat for questioning, and demanded that the state government immediately urge the Centre to revoke the restriction.
Sapkal questioned why procedural delays prevented Bishnoi's questioning when police teams routinely travel across state boundaries to arrest Opposition leaders and legislators.
Accusing Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, of failing to curb organised crime, the Congress leader alleged that gang activities were flourishing in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Nagpur.
"The Mumbai police's reputation and the fear they once commanded are now things of the past," he said, alleging that the police were being used mainly to act against Opposition leaders and students, while criminals continued to operate.
Describing Fadnavis as an ineffective home minister, Sapkal further alleged that the police force was being misused to put pressure on non-BJP politicians, citing increased scrutiny against former party MLA Rahul Bondre from Buldhana district.
The Mahayuti government lacked the courage to act against gangsters, drug and sand mafias, Sapkal alleged, demanding that the government step down.