A Mumbai court on Wednesday remanded three accused arrested in connection with the firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car to police custody till October 31, after investigators alleged that the attack was carried out on the directions of Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Anil Pandit.
The accused, identified as Rehan alias Sukka, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana; Ritik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Bihar's Begusarai and residing in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana, were brought to the city from Kota in Rajasthan early Wednesday.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which is investigating the incident, produced the trio before a magistrate and sought 14 days of custody to establish the alleged gang connection, recover weapons and examine electronic evidence.
๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ป๐ผ๐ถ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ธ
During the hearing, investigators told the court that the accused had allegedly executed the attack on instructions from Anil Pandit, identified as a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Police submitted that further interrogation was necessary to establish the nature of the accused's association with the gang and identify others involved in planning or facilitating the shooting.
The prosecution also informed the court that the weapons used in the crime were yet to be recovered.
According to investigators, the accused had destroyed two mobile phones, making it necessary to collect additional electronic evidence, including call data records, to reconstruct their movements and communications.
Police said custodial interrogation was required to uncover the conspiracy and motive behind the attack.
๐๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
The Crime Branch told the court that the arrests were made following an analysis of CCTV footage and tracking of a motorcycle allegedly used in the shooting.
Acting on specific information, Kota city police intercepted the three accused aboard a train on Monday.
They were subsequently handed over to the Mumbai Police, which formally arrested them and produced them before a magistrate in Rajasthan.
The court granted transit remand, allowing investigators to bring the accused to Mumbai for further proceedings.
๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
Defence lawyers Ajinkya Mirgal and Satyabrat Joshi opposed the prosecution's request for extended custody.
They argued that police remand was not necessary merely for recovering the weapons allegedly used in the incident.
The lawyers also submitted that the accused had already been interrogated during their transit remand and that further police custody was unwarranted.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate granted police custody of the three accused till October 31.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ'๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ
The case relates to a shooting in Mumbai's Juhu area on Sunday evening, when at least two motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly opened fire at Shroff's car before fleeing.
According to police, five to six rounds were discharged at the vehicle.
The actor escaped without serious injuries, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries in the incident.
A motorcycle suspected to have been used by the shooters was subsequently recovered in an abandoned condition in Andheri.
Mumbai Police registered a case under provisions relating to attempt to murder and the Arms Act.
With the latest arrests, eight people have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Investigators are continuing efforts to establish the full sequence of events and determine the alleged role of the Bishnoi gang in the attack.