Rohit Shetty Firing Case: 6 Accused Arrested From Rajasthan In Connection With Shooting At Bollywood Filmmaker's Mumbai House

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police Crime Branch arrested six accused from Rajasthan in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence, taking the total number of arrests in the case to eleven. The latest accused individuals are being brought to Mumbai for further investigation, police confirmed on Monday. Four shots were fired at the Bollywood filmmaker's house in Mumbai's Juhu on January 31.

Earlier, on February 11, Mumbai Police invoked stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against five accused already arrested in the case. All five were produced before a Special MCOCA Court, which remanded them to police custody till February 17 to enable a deeper probe into what cops describe as a larger organised crime conspiracy.

During the court proceedings, the Crime Branch informed the court that the firing outside Shetty’s Juhu residence was not a random act but part of a planned attempt to spread fear in Mumbai. Police identified Shubham Lonkar as a key conspirator, alleging that he provided Rs 40,000 to the accused and remained in constant contact with them via the Signal messaging app. Police told the court that Lonkar instructed the accused that they had to 'do something big in Mumbai.'

Police further said that Lonkar’s brother, Pravin Lonkar, currently lodged in jail in connection with the Baba Siddique case, is also suspected to have played a role in the conspiracy. According to cops, Pravin allegedly hid three firearms. Shubham Lonkar reportedly shared the locations of these weapons with accused Asaram Fasale and directed him to retrieve them and hand them over to Swapnil Sakat, one of the arrested accused.

So far, police have recovered one firearm from Fasale, while two weapons are still missing. Investigators suspect that one of the unrecovered firearms may have been used in the firing incident outside Shetty’s residence.

Mumbai Court Terms Attack 'Tip Of Iceberg'

While granting police custody, the Special MCOCA Court observed that although the case may appear minor at first glance, it could be 'only the tip of the iceberg,' indicating the possible involvement of a wider criminal network. The court stressed the need for a detailed and thorough investigation.

According to officials, Lonkar has multiple criminal cases registered against him, prompting the application of MCOCA. Police said the Rs 40,000 allegedly provided by Lonkar was used to bring a scooter and weapon from Pune to Mumbai, Rs 30,000 for purchasing the scooter and Rs 10,000 for transportation expenses.

Based on a complaint alleging an attempt to kill the filmmaker, Juhu Police registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Maharashtra Police Act and the Arms Act. A forensic team recovered five empty cartridges from the spot, while CCTV footage showed the shooter fleeing on a scooter, which was later traced and seized in Vile Parle (West).

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