Gangster Anil Pandit, who allegedly claimed responsibility for the firing on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff, has been named a wanted accused in the case, Mumbai Police told a court on Thursday. The court also remanded four arrested persons to police custody till October 26.
Pandit, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who is believed to be operating from the US, allegedly claimed responsibility for the October 18 attack in a social media post.
Four accused sent to police custody
The Crime Branch produced Kunal, 21, and Sumit, 19, both from Haryana's Sonipat district, along with Radha, 23, and Babita, 23, from Uttar Pradesh, before the Esplanade Magistrate's court.
According to police, the four had played an active role in the conspiracy and supplied a weapon to the shooters. Investigators told the court that Kunal and Sumit collected a pistol and 20 rounds from Amritsar on Pandit's instructions. Radha and Babita allegedly travelled to Mumbai and handed over the weapon to other conspirators.
The police sought their custody for further investigation, citing their alleged involvement in the conspiracy with those arrested earlier.
Defence lawyers Ajinkya Mirgul and Satyavrat Joshi opposed the plea, arguing that there was no material evidence against the four and that they had been arrested on mere suspicion.
After hearing both sides, the court remanded all four to police custody till October 26.
10 people arrested so far
The firing took place in Mumbai's Juhu area on the evening of October 18, when at least two men allegedly opened fire at Shroff's car before fleeing on a motorcycle. The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries.
The motorcycle used in the attack was later found abandoned in suburban Andheri. Mumbai Police have registered a case of attempt to murder and arrested 10 people so far.
On Wednesday, the court had remanded 3 other accused — Rehan alias Sukka, from Sonipat in Haryana; Ritik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar and living in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana — to police custody till October 31.
Investigators are probing the alleged roles of those arrested and the involvement of Pandit in the attack.