Mumbai’s crime scene just got darker with shocking revelations in the firing incident at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence. The Mumbai Crime Branch has uncovered that arrested suspect Asaram Fasle, the man who supplied the weapons, has been operating as a covert arms dealer for the notorious Bishnoi gang for the past four years.
Under the guise of a humble garage mechanic in Pune’s Malavli area, Fasle had been leading a double life. For a decade, he worked at a garage in the Varje region, but his allegiance shifted dramatically four years ago. Influenced by Shubham Lonkar, the mastermind behind the Baba Siddique murder and a key figure in the Lawrence Bishnoi network, Fasle joined the gang to gain local clout.
Investigators reveal that Fasle knew Swapnil Sakat, one of the four initially arrested accused, through Lonkar’s introduction. He handed over firearms to Sakat on Lonkar’s orders, which were then passed to an unidentified shooter who carried out the attack on Shetty’s home. Fasle’s close associates might also be entangled in the gang’s web, though probes continue.
All five arrested individuals were drawn to the Bishnoi gang by Lonkar’s influence, seeking power and dominance in their neighborhoods. Questions linger over Fasle’s sourcing of weapons and his payments, but police are digging deep into his phone records for deleted messages and connections.
Despite heightened alerts, the elusive actual shooter remains at large, with multiple teams scouring leads. This case underscores the growing infiltration of underworld gangs into everyday lives, prompting tighter security measures around high-profile targets like Shetty.