Five accused in the firing at Rohit Shetty's house were produced in a special MCOCA court and remanded to custody. Police suspect an organised crime link, citing the Bishnoi gang, while the defense questioned the evidence regarding the weapon's source.
The five accused in connection with the firing incident outside Rohit Shetty's house were produced before a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Wednesday. The Mumbai Police have invoked sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Police suspect an organised crime network is behind the attack. The court remanded all five accused to police custody until February 17.
Court Hearing and Defence Arguments
Following the invocation of MCOCA, the Defence advocate Ajinkya Mirgal said, "MCOCA has been added today...They( police) said in the court that the weapon recovered from accused number one, Sakat, was given to him by Praveen Lonkar, who is involved in the Baba Siddique murder case and has been in jail for one and a half years. We stated that he has been in jail for a year and a half. When and how did he get the weapon? This possibility seems a little doubtful to us."
This came after the Mumbai Police arrested four individuals on February 1, shortly after the assailants fired four rounds outside Shetty's residence. They were sent to police custody. The fifth accused was arrested on Thursday (February 5) and produced before the court along with the other accused. After the hearing, the judge remanded them to police custody until February 11, 2026, citing the seriousness of the offence and the criminal conspiracy. The judge also noted the need for a detailed investigation and a joint interrogation and ordered the custody of the five accused.
During the hearing, the police informed the court that a social media post had claimed responsibility for the incident. The accused communicated via the Signal app to maintain secrecy, the police said, adding that they are seeking additional deleted chats with Shubham Lonkar. The police requested maximum custody of the four individuals previously arrested and a 10-day custody for the fifth accused, Asaram Fasle alias Babu.
Investigation Uncovers Gang Links
The Mumbai Crime Branch's investigation into the case has revealed that the accused weapon supplier, Asaram Fasle, had been working as a garage mechanic for the Bishnoi gang for the past four years. He joined the gang under the influence of Shubham Lonkar, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind both the Baba Siddique murder case and the Rohit Shetty firing incident, police said. The Crime Branch claims that Fasle, on Lonkar's instructions, handed over the weapons to Swapnil Sakat, which were later used by the unidentified shooter in the firing.
Defence Claims Circumstantial Evidence
For the first accused, his lawyer argued that he was not present at the scene when the incident occurred and that he was arrested on circumstantial evidence. He also stated that there is no established link between the accused and Shubham Lonkar. (ANI)
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