Four individuals were arrested following the firing of bullets by unknown men at the Mumbai house belonging to filmmaker Rohit Shetty during the early hours of Sunday. According to police, the investigation conducted so far indicates that the suspect is possibly connected to Shubham Lonkar, who is allegedly part of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and a suspect in the murder of a former Maharashtra minister, Baba Siddique.
It happened approximately 12.45 am in a nine storey residential block in the Juhu locality where Shetty resides. Police officials said that a minimum of five rounds were shot in the first floor of the building. One of the bullets struck the window of a gym found within the premises.
There were no reports of injuries and it remains unclear whether the filmmaker was at home during the time of the attack.
Soon after the firing, security around the building was enhanced. The local police and Mumbai Crime Branch teams arrived at the scene and started an investigation. The officers showed CCTV footage of the surrounding area to trace the movement of the suspects. Forensic and ballistic specialists were also invited to retrieve on-site evidence.
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and under the provisions of the Arms Act, a case has been registered against him on charges of attempt to murder. These arrests were after five men had been detained in Pune earlier in the day. The Warje Malwadi police picked them up and handed them over to Mumbai Police to enable more questioning.
Among the five arrested, four were arrested by the Anti Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch after the investigators discovered their suspected involvement in supplying logistical assistance to the shooters. They have been ordered to be remanded by a court in police custody until February 5.
The arrested men were identified by police as Aman Marote, 27, and Aditya Gayaki, 19, of Karve Nagar; Siddharth Yenpure, 20; Samarth Pomaji, 18; and Swapnil Sakat, 23, of Dhayari. Law enforcement officials claimed that they have been scrutinizing their purported ties to Shubham Lonkar as part of the investigation.
A threatening statement on social media emerged a few hours following the shooting purporting to have committed the shooting. The article was a Hindi-language post by an account under the names Shubham Lonkar and Arzoo Bishnoi.
It defined the case as a trailer and threatened more serious outcomes in case of failure by the filmmaker to comply with their demands. The message also gave a general warning to film industry members.
Police are checking the validity of the post and whether it was genuinely created by individuals who have affiliation to the gang. Authorities stated that the internet threat posed is being considered as a significant component of the inquiry.
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Shubham Lonkar is already a suspect in the high profile murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique who was shot dead in Mumbai in October 2024. Detectives are currently attempting to decide whether the shots at the home of Shetty were intended to imply something or were involved in a bigger extortion or intimidation scheme.
Law enforcement agencies reported that several departments are investigating the case, and additional arrests were possible because the investigation was ongoing.
