16 February,2026 04:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Officials said further investigation is ongoing to determine the broader conspiracy behind the attack. Representational Pic
Days after fire outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Mumbai's Juhu area, the Mumbai Crime Branch has cracked the case in a major breakthrough, arresting six more accused. With the fresh arrests, the police said, a total of 11 people has been so far in nabbed including the main shooter in connection with the incident.
The firing took place on February 1, when unidentified assailants opened fire outside Shetty's home, triggering panic in the vicinity.
Firing at Shetty's residence came after series of incidents threatening Bollywood celebrities and culprits claiming to be from from Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The case was initially registered at Juhu Police Station (Cr. No. 126/2026) and later transferred to the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch for a thorough probe.
According to officials, five accused were arrested in the first phase of the investigation, following which stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were invoked.
Along with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Haryana STF, the Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended six more suspects in recent days.
Police confirmed that the key accused who allegedly fired at the filmmaker's residence is among those recently arrested. All 11 accused have been remanded to police custody until Tuesday.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of senior Mumbai Police officials, including Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti, Joint CP (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, Additional CP (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade, and DCP (Detection) Raj Tilak Roushan.
Officials said further investigation is ongoing to determine the broader conspiracy behind the attack.
Earlier in February, the Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell arrested four persons from Pune in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu. Police also seized the two-wheeler used in the crime.
Investigators have established that the arrested accused were in contact with Shubham Lonkar, a resident of Akola and an alleged member of the Bishnoi gang, who police say masterminded the firing. Lonkar later claimed responsibility for the attack through social media posts.
He is also one of the accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. Police said that one of the arrested accused, Swapnil Bandu Sakat, was in direct contact with Lonkar and was actively involved in planning the incident.
Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, unemployed and a resident of Vadgaon, Pune. Police say he was in regular contact with Lonkar and helped plan the firing.
Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 19, a college student and resident of Gulmohar Society, Dhayari, Pune. He allegedly helped arrange funds to purchase weapons and the two-wheeler.
Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 19, a delivery executive and resident of Amrapali Society, Dhayari Phata, Pune. He allegedly helped collect funds and arrange the two-wheeler.
Aditya Dnyaneshwar Gayaki, 19, a salesman and resident of Karve Nagar, Pune. Police say he purchased the two-wheeler for Rs 30,000 and handed it over to the shooter.
A fifth accused, the shooter, is still absconding. Police teams are conducting searches to trace him.
According to police, Rohit Shetty returned to his residence at Shetty Tower in Juhu around 10 pm on Saturday. At around 12.45 am, he was on the seventh floor having dinner with his family. Two bodyguards and two police personnel were present as part of his security detail.
