Rohit Shetty House Firing Case: Plot Hatched 8 Months Ago, Execution Planned 10 Days Before — FPJ Exclusive

Mumbai, Feb 07: The threat matrix targeting filmmaker Rohit Shetty was hatched by the Bishnoi gang nearly eight months ago, but the specific operational blueprint required to execute the firing was firmed up only in the final 10 days before the attack, sources in the security establishment revealed.

According to investigators, the mastermind and chief strategist, Shubham Lonkar, identified by Mumbai Police as a key operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, utilised multiple layers of operational security to mask the conspiracy. From arms supply and logistics of transporting a scooter from Pune to Mumbai to hiring an unidentified shooter, Lonkar compartmentalised every role to ensure no traces were left.

Crucially, sources said the “need-to-know” basis was so strictly enforced that even members of the execution cell were kept unaware of the target’s identity until the very last moment. Officials stated that alleged conspirator Lonkar did not disclose Shetty’s identity to any operative until the end of February 1.

Official sources said the firing was planned in detail in the final 10-day narrow window. The final execution phase began on January 20, when arrested accused Siddharth Yenpure (19) and Samarth Pomaji (19) arrived in Mumbai on Lonkar’s instructions. Upon reaching the city, the duo parked a Honda Dio scooter near a Starbucks outlet in Juhu, concealed the ignition key under the footrest, and immediately left the area. CCTV footage shows the scooter being picked up a few hours later by a masked unidentified individual who appeared to know exactly where the key was hidden.

Sources admitted that it remains unclear whether the individual who collected the scooter was the primary shooter or a “buffer” associate tasked with relocating the vehicle to a secondary hideout until the time of the strike. The identity and precise role of this individual are currently the focus of an intensive investigation.

During interrogation, Yenpure and Pomaji told investigators they were instructed on January 19 by Lonkar and fellow arrested accused Swapnil Sakat (23) to travel from Pune to Lonavala on the scooter. After reaching Lonavala, they received further coordinates via the encrypted Signal app to proceed to Mumbai. Once in the city, Sakat reportedly directed them to a safe “dead drop-off” point in Juhu, where the scooter was left for the next operative, believed to be either an associate or the shooter in the execution chain.

Following the early-morning firing on February 1, Mumbai Police recovered the abandoned scooter near Kings International Hotel in Vile Parle West, roughly two kilometres from Shetty Tower. Preliminary examination revealed attempts to wipe physical evidence, prompting forensic teams to lift fingerprints, DNA samples and other trace material.

The second-hand Honda Dio scooter, purchased from Aman Marote, a resident of Karve Nagar on the outskirts of Pune, was bought by accused Aditya Gayaki (19), one of the five people arrested in connection with the attack. The purchase was made in mid-January this year for Rs 30,000 on the instructions of Pomaji, with funds provided by Sakat under Lonkar’s direction.

The investigation revealed that the weapon used in the attack had moved through a carefully orchestrated “ghost supply chain”. According to sources, Lonkar ensured the firearm reached the shooter through a contactless, relay-based system. The gun, which fired five rounds at Shetty’s premises, reached the shooter without any physical or digital contact with the key accused, highlighting the meticulous planning spanning eight months. Even Sakat, one of the operatives entrusted with delivering the weapon, could not recall the exact day he dropped it for the shooter.

Investigators traced arms supplier Asharam Fasale, arrested in connection with the case, who reportedly came into contact with Lonkar via social media. Acting on Lonkar’s instructions, Fasale supplied three firearms to Sakat seven to eight months ago.

Approximately four months before the attack, Sakat was instructed by Lonkar via an encrypted app to leave a weapon at a specific secluded location in the Karve Nagar area of Pune. Sakat reportedly dropped the gun at the “dead drop” location and left, after which it eventually reached the shooter without any direct interaction. The weapon then moved through the execution chain without Sakat ever meeting the recipient. Sakat is unable to recall the exact date due to the length of the long-term planning.

Sakat told crime branch officials that one gun he supplied was used in the attack, another was discarded due to poor condition, and the third was recovered from his premises by the crime branch.

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New leads suggest that Lonkar heavily monitored social media to track the movements of Shetty and other high-profile personalities. Sources suspect the shooter conducted reconnaissance on multiple celebrity premises in the final 10 days, with Shetty’s residence potentially being selected based on a real-time assessment. Lonkar reportedly used public information to “randomly” finalise the target from a pre-screened list of industry figures to maintain an element of surprise and fear.

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