Three men arrested from Haryana’s Sonipat for allegedly facilitating the October 18 firing attack on actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai have been remanded in police custody till October 28. The accused, Sameer, Jatin and Ankit Khatak, allegedly handled key logistical aspects of the operation, including reconnaissance, weapons supply and planning. Mumbai Police are investigating their roles in the alleged conspiracy and their links with other suspects still at large.
The three accused were produced before an Esplanade court in Mumbai on Thursday. The police sought their custody till October 31, arguing that further interrogation was needed to establish their individual roles and uncover the wider conspiracy. The court, however, granted custody till October 28.
The firing took place on October 18, when three men, Rehan, Phool Singh, and Ritik on two motorcycles allegedly opened fire at Shroff’s car. The actor escaped unhurt, but his driver and a fan sustained injuries. Three alleged shooters, two from Haryana and one from Bihar, were arrested by Kota Police in Rajasthan and subsequently handed over to Mumbai Police for further investigation.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the shooting and issued fresh threats against those working with Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF 3 ACCUSED ARRESTED FROM HARYANA?
During the hearing, the investigating officer told the court that the three men arrested from Sonipat allegedly played different roles in the case.
According to the police, Ankit travelled to Mumbai to conduct reconnaissance ahead of the shooting. Sameer was allegedly in direct contact with Anil Pandit, while Jatin Panchal allegedly arranged the weapon for the accused who carried out the firing.
The police said further questioning was necessary to establish the extent of their involvement and trace their links with other suspects who are still wanted.
POLICE PROBE CONSPIRACY, SEEK LONGER CUSTODY
Public prosecutor Kranti Kumbhar sought police custody of the three accused till October 31, arguing that investigators needed more time to establish the links between them and other suspects, several of whom were still outside Maharashtra.
The prosecution told the court that the alleged conspiracy had been planned in secrecy and that detailed questioning was necessary to piece together the chain of events and identify the roles of everyone involved.
The police also informed the court that CCTV footage had been recovered from around the crime scene and from a hotel where the accused had allegedly practised firing. Footage covering the period before and after the incident had been obtained, and the hotel register had been seized. Investigators said the material still needed to be examined and analysed.
DEFENCE OPPOSES EXTENDED CUSTODY
Advocate Ajinkya Mirgal, representing the accused, opposed the police custody plea, arguing that none of the three men produced before the court was present at the scene when the firing took place.
The defence also questioned why the police needed an extended custody period, pointing out that the accused were residents of Haryana and had been brought to Mumbai for questioning. Mirgal argued that the police needed to justify their demand for longer custody despite having brought the accused to Mumbai within two days.
The prosecution maintained that the alleged conspiracy and the need to establish the links between the accused and other suspects warranted further interrogation.
The court also asked the three men whether they had any complaints against the police. All three said they had none.
After hearing both sides, the court remanded them in police custody till October 28. It also allowed their defence lawyers to meet them inside the courtroom for five minutes to obtain instructions and information related to the case.
POLICE TRACE FIRING PRACTICE TO AAREY COLONY
Investigators have also traced a location in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony where the accused allegedly practised firing on October 17, a day before the attack on Shroff’s car.
The police are examining the alleged practice session alongside CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events before the shooting and establish the roles of those involved.
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