The Mumbai Crime Branch has detained the primary accused in the December 3 Sanpada firing case. According to the police, the main accused, Santosh Gawli, a former garbage contractor, allegedly orchestrated the plan to kill his successor, Rajaram Thoke, with the help of a sharpshooter. Following an extensive manhunt conducted by the Crime Branch and Navi Mumbai Police officers, Gawli was apprehended in Pune.

While the sharpshooter is yet to be traced, the police have established his identity as Imran Qureshi, a notorious criminal and former member of the DK Rao gang, once led by a former aide of gangster Chhota Rajan. Qureshi, a resident of Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai, has been implicated in cases of attempted murder, murder, extortion, gang wars, and rioting across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, and other parts of Maharashtra. The police describe him as having "exceptional shooting skills" and a history of significant criminal activity. In 2019, Qureshi and his accomplice, Amjad Khan, were arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly shooting and stabbing a man. Extensive searches are underway across the city and state to apprehend him.