Major Breakthrough in Rohit Shetty Bungalow Firing Case
In a significant development in the February 1 shooting incident at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Mumbai bungalow, the city crime branch and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) have jointly arrested seven individuals. This includes the primary shooter, who is linked to the absconding gangster Shubham Lonkar of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Mastermind and Shooter Identified
Police investigations have revealed that the mastermind behind the attack is Pravin Lonkar, brother of Shubham Lonkar. Pravin is currently incarcerated in Taloja jail in connection with the murder case of NCP politician Baba Siddique. Shubham Lonkar had publicly claimed responsibility for the firing by posting a message on social media shortly after the incident and was actively involved in the conspiracy.
The main shooter has been identified as Deepak Chandra, also known as Sharma, aged 24. The other arrested accused are Sunny (23), Sonu Thakur (23), Hrithik Yadav (22), Vishnu Kushwaha (26), Jatin Bhardwaj (24), and Vishal Thakur. Most of these individuals hail from Bijauli village in Bah, Agra, with others originating from Gautam Buddh Nagar and Etawah.
Court Proceedings and Investigation Details
All seven accused were produced before the special MCOCA court and have been remanded in police custody until February 25. With these arrests, the total number of individuals apprehended in this case has risen to 12. Police officials have stated that they are still pursuing four more suspects and need to recover the weapon and mobile phones used in the crime.
During joint interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to conducting detailed reconnaissance of Rohit Shetty's residence in Mumbai prior to the attack. They later opened fire using a semi-automatic pistol supplied by the gang, although the weapon remains missing.
Motivation and Planning of the Attack
STF interrogations revealed that the attack was orchestrated to instill fear within the film industry and showcase the operational capabilities of the Lonkar gang. The execution of the firing was assigned through Vishnu Kushwaha, who had connections with Goloo Pandit, an associate of the Lonkar gang involved in a Rs 5-crore extortion case in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.
Investigators noted that the accused were influenced by the glorified portrayal of the gang on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, seeking to gain notoriety in the criminal underworld. "They admitted to conducting multiple reconnaissance visits to Mumbai before the attack to study the geographical layout, security arrangements, and escape routes near the filmmaker's residence," said ADG (law and order) Amitabh Yash.
Escape Tactics and Confessions
The accused also disclosed that they frequently changed locations based on media reports to avoid arrest and received logistical support during their escape. Shooter Deepak Chandra admitted to consuming alcohol before the firing due to nervousness. He further confessed that all other accused, except Vishal Thakur, Jatin Bhardwaj, and Hrithik Vinod Singh-Yadav, were aware of the conspiracy. At the time of the firing, three other accused were present in the vicinity of Juhu.
Use of Encrypted Communication
On Monday, police invoked additional criminal sections, including destruction of evidence, after discovering that the accused used the Telegram app to communicate and conspire. The posts were later deleted to avoid tracking, as the app's server is located in a foreign country. Chandra, acting on direct orders from Shubham Lonkar, conducted detailed reconnaissance of the target before carrying out the shooting, assisted by 23-year-old Sunny Rakesh Kumar in mapping out the attack.
Shubham and Pravin Lonkar allegedly served as the primary financier and strategist, providing the hit squad with arms, ammunition, a motorcycle, and technical assistance. To evade detection, the operatives communicated exclusively through the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was deleted from their devices immediately after the crime.
Logistics and Shelter Provided
During preliminary inquiries, the accused told police that they arrived in Mumbai and stayed at Sonu Thakur's rented accommodation in Kalyan. From there, they traveled to Juhu for several surveys before the February 1 firing. "Immediately after the firing, all dispersed and reunited in Kalyan, from where they took a train to north India and stayed at their friend Vishal Thakur's house. We are investigating whether Thakur had knowledge of the crime, but he provided them shelter and financial assistance in Agra," stated an official.
Accused Hritik Yadav, Sonu Thakur, Jatin Bharadwaj, Vishal Thakur, and Vishnu Khushawa are charged with harboring the absconding accused and aiding their evasion of arrest across state lines.
