Mumbai’s crime scene just got more chilling. In a brazen attack outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence, investigators from the Mumbai Crime Branch have uncovered a meticulously planned operation linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The shocking detail? Attackers conducted days-long reconnaissance on the exact scooter used in the firing.
The incident unfolded when an unidentified shooter unleashed five rounds of gunfire near Shetty’s home before speeding away on the two-wheeler. He ditched the scooter at Vile Parle railway station and vanished via train, leaving police to piece together the syndicate’s trail.
Crime Branch sleuths traced the scooter’s origins to Pune, purchased for Rs 30,000. Originally registered to Anand Marote in 2009, it changed hands just 12 days before the attack to arrested suspect Aditya Gaikwad, with funds allegedly provided by mastermind Shubham Lonkar.
Further probes revealed accomplices Samarth Pomaji, Siddharth Yenpure, and Swapnil Sakat attempted to transport the vehicle from Pune to Lonavala under Pomaji’s orders. When plans shifted, they delivered it to Mumbai 10 days prior, handing it over to the shooter with extra payment. Notably, these couriers knew of the criminal plot but were in the dark about the high-profile target.
Samarth Pomaji emerges as a key player, actively coordinating with Lonkar via the Signal app. He orchestrated the scooter’s procurement with Gaikwad’s aid and allegedly masterminded the entire firing strategy. Police have nabbed four suspects—Gaikwad, Yenpure, Pomaji, and Sakat—while the hunt intensifies for elusive kingpin Lonkar.
This case underscores the growing audacity of gangland operations infiltrating Bollywood’s elite circles, raising alarms about celebrity safety in Mumbai. Investigations continue, promising more revelations.