Police say four accused pooled money, bought bike, and weapons while Bishnoi gang associate Shubham Lonkar directed the attack
Broken glass at Shetty Tower after a bullet struck the balcony area during the firing incident. Pic/Satej Shinde
The Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell has arrested four persons from Pune in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu. Police have 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.
CCTV footage shows the suspected shooter walking towards Shetty Tower moments before opening fire. Pic/By Special Arrangement
He is also one of the accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. Police said one of the arrested accused, Swapnil Bandu Sakat, was in direct contact with Lonkar and actively involved in planning the incident.
Accused arrested
>> Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, unemployed, 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 money 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.
The entrance gate of Shetty Tower in Juhu, where five rounds were fired around midnight on Saturday. Pic/Satej Shinde
>> Aditya Dnyaneshwar Gayaki, 19, a salesman and resident of Karve Nagar, Pune. Police say he purchased the two-wheeler for '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.
What happened at the spot
According to police, Rohit Shetty returned to his residence at Shetty Tower, 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.
Shubham Lonkar. Pic/By Special Arrangement
CCTV footage showed a man standing outside the building. Security personnel initially mistook the sound of gunshots for firecrackers. However, footage later revealed the man carrying a pistol. Juhu police were alerted immediately, but the shooter fled on a two-wheeler.
Police said the accused reached the Tulip Star Hotel junction, where a police nakabandi was in place. He took a U-turn, rode towards Juhu Church, abandoned the vehicle there, and escaped in an autorickshaw.
How trail led to Pune
During the investigation, police recovered the abandoned two-wheeler near Juhu Church. Details of the vehicle were shared with the Pune Crime Branch, which traced the original owner. The owner told police he had sold the vehicle for Rs 30,000 to Aditya Gayaki.
Police said bank transaction records show that all four accused contributed money for purchasing the vehicle and arranging arms for the shooter.
A police officer said the modus operandi was similar to the earlier firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments, in which the Bishnoi gang had also claimed responsibility. “Shubham Lonkar is the main conspirator in this case,” the officer said.
Who is Shubham Lonkar?
Shubham Lonkar is a resident of Akola who later shifted to Pune. Police said he was initially involved in farming and dairy-related work in Akola before allegedly entering arms supply networks.
He was arrested by Akola police in January 2024 in a weapons supply case and later released on bail. Lonkar was also named as an accused in the Baba Siddique murder case in October 2024 and was suspected in the earlier firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence.
Police said Lonkar had expressed a desire to join the Indian Army but failed to clear the examination. Investigators claim he later came in contact with Bishnoi gang members in Rajasthan and became associated with the gang. Lonkar and the shooter remain absconding. Further investigation is ongoing.
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