Mumbai’s crime investigators have unraveled a chilling plot behind the brazen shooting at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence on January 31 night. What initially appeared as a random act of violence has now been traced to a meticulously planned operation spanning from Pune to the heart of Mumbai.
Around 12:45 AM, a masked gunman in a black jacket and white pants approached Shetty Tower on a scooter. CCTV footage captured the assailant unleashing five rapid pistol shots toward the building before speeding away into the darkness. Shetty was home at the time, but fortunately escaped unharmed. Alerted by the gunfire, security personnel and nearby police rushed to the scene, only to find the attacker had vanished.
Crime Branch and Anti-Extortion Cell probes revealed the scooter used in the attack was sourced from Pune and later abandoned in Vile Parle. Five empty cartridges and shattered glass fragments were recovered from the site. So far, five suspects—all hailing from various Pune neighborhoods—have been apprehended.
Raids yielded a pistol, three magazines, an air gun, and mobile phones from the accused. Communications intercepted show they relied on the encrypted Signal app, deleting chats post-attack to cover tracks. Shubham Lonkar emerges as the mastermind, orchestrating the supply of the scooter, weapons, and funds to the shooter.
Both Lonkar and the actual shooter remain at large, with multiple police teams scouring locations for their capture. The case, first registered at Juhu Police Station, now rests with the Anti-Extortion Cell. A key breakthrough involved weapons found at Swapnil Sakat’s residence, supplied by Asaram Fasle on Lonkar’s instructions, leading to Fasle’s arrest on February 5.
Investigators suspect links to extortion demands or deep-seated rivalries in the film world. As the net tightens, authorities vow to dismantle this interstate criminal syndicate and bring all perpetrators to justice.