Mumbai: An unidentified assailant opened fire outside the Juhu residence of noted Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty (51) in the early hours of Sunday, February 1, firing five rounds before fleeing the spot. No injuries were reported, police said.
CCTV Captures Attack
The incident occurred at around 12.40 am at Shetty Tower, a 10-storey residential building located at Hasya Kalakar Mehmood Chowk, Juhu, which is entirely owned by Shetty. CCTV footage has surfaced showing the attacker approaching the building on foot and opening fire before escaping.
Five Detained From Pune
Following the incident, the Crime Branch Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) detained five persons from Pune in connection with the case. On Sunday evening at around 7.45 pm, three of the accused were brought to Mumbai by AEC teams from Pune. The remaining aspects of the investigation have been handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch from Juhu Police. The five accused detained from Pune have been identified as Aman Anand Marote (27) – Karvenagar, Pune, Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19) – Karvenagar, Pune, Siddharth Deepak Yenpure (20) – Dhayari, Pune, Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (18) – Dhayari, Pune and Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23) – Pune.
Possible Gang Angle Under Probe
While the shooter is still at large, investigators are probing a possible Bishnoi gang connection, based on a viral Facebook post allegedly issued in the name of Shubham Lonkar, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. However, Mumbai Police officials have cautioned against speculation and said the post could be a publicity stunt. So far, no concrete evidence has emerged linking the gang to the firing. Preliminary information suggests that Arju Bishnoi allegedly masterminded the firing at Rohit Shetty’s residence. Similarly, a post claiming responsibility for the firing has gone viral from a purported Facebook account of Shubham Lonkar, a wanted accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. In addition, an audio clip allegedly of Arju Bishnoi taking responsibility for the firing has also gone viral.
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Police Confirm Incident
Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti confirmed the incident and said unidentified persons had fired shots at the building. Initially, Juhu police and the Crime Branch conducted preliminary investigations before the case was formally transferred to the Crime Branch.
Weapon Type Being Examined
According to senior Crime Branch officials, based on the five bullet shells recovered from the spot, the assailant may have used either a country-made firearm (katta) or a foreign-made pistol. The bullets will be send to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Kalina, for examination.
Shooter’s Escape Route
Investigators said the attacker arrived in the Juhu area on a two-wheeler, parked it some distance away, and then walked to Shetty Tower. The firing reportedly took place near Shetty’s personal gymnasium on the first floor, following which the assailant fled. A two-wheeler registered in Pune was later found abandoned about one kilometre away from the crime scene. CCTV footage helped police trace the vehicle, leading to the detention of the five accused.
Auto-Rickshaw Clue
In a crucial development, police learned that after the firing, the shooter was seen speaking to an auto-rickshaw driver near the crime scene. In his statement, the driver told police that the assailant asked him, “Will you go to Kalyan?”
When the driver replied that Kalyan was too far, he offered to drop him at a nearby railway station instead. The driver later dropped the assailant at Bandra railway station. Police suspect the shooter may have boarded a train from there to flee Mumbai.
Key Witness Statement
Investigators are now recording a detailed statement of the auto-rickshaw driver, as this lead is considered crucial in reconstructing the attacker’s escape route.
Shetty’s Statement Recorded
The Crime Branch has recorded Rohit Shetty’s statement. Police officials said Shetty had not received any prior threats. Investigators are questioning him to ascertain whether he suspects anyone or recalls any incident that could aid the probe.
Special Teams Formed
Police said the roles of three accused in the firing conspiracy have been established, while the roles of the remaining two are still being verified. Pravin Patil, Police Inspector (Crime), Juhu Police Station, said the incident occurred at around 12.40 am. Rohit Shetty had not received any threats earlier. Based on CCTV footage, an FIR was registered. Further investigation is underway. Police have formed 12 special teams to trace and arrest the shooter. The investigation remains ongoing.
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Background of similar firing incidents involving public figures.
1. On April 14, 2024, two bike-borne men fired four rounds outside Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments in Bandra. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang later claimed responsibility. Security around the actor’s residence was significantly increased, and several arrests were made through 2025.
2. On October 12, 2024, senior politician and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra East during Dussehra celebrations. Three assailants fired multiple rounds. The case was later linked to an organised gang network.
3. On September 12, 2025, unidentified shooters fired several rounds outside actress Disha Patani’s ancestral home in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The Goldy Brar–Rohit Godara gang claimed responsibility, calling it a warning.
4. In January 2026, actor-producer Kamaal R. Khan was arrested in Mumbai after allegedly firing two shots from his licensed firearm at a residential building in Oshiwara. He claimed the firing was accidental while cleaning the weapon.
5. In 2025, gunshots were fired outside Kapil Sharma’s café in Surrey, Canada. In the same year, over 24 rounds were fired at social media personality Elvish Yadav’s house in Gurugram.
Earlier, on May 29, 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead in Punjab in a gang-linked attack. In 2000, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan was shot near his office in Mumbai in an underworld-related incident.
The four accused arrested in connection with the firing incident at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence—Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23), Siddharth Deepak Ainpure (19), Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (19), and Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19)—were produced before the Esplanade Court late on Sunday night. The Esplande court remanded all four accused to police custody till February 5
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