Delhi, New Delhi:Details uncovered by the investigation into the shooting outside the home of a filmmaker in the Juhu neighborhood of Mumbai suggest a more extensive and meticulously thought-out operation. The Crime Branch claims that the attack might have been planned from within a prison and executed by outside agents. Twelve suspects, including the primary shooter, have been taken into custody in relation to the case thus far. Investigators think that rather than being isolated incidents, the preparation, coordination, and execution were a part of a larger network that was operating in unison.
The jailed accused's role under scrutiny
According to sources, one of the main players in the case is Praveen Lonkar, the brother of Shubham Lonkar, who is connected to the Bishnoi gang. Praveen is presently being held in court in relation to the murder case of Baba Siddique. Police believe that while he was incarcerated, he organized the attack's logistics, finances, and weapons.
The Crime Branch thinks Praveen coordinated the accused's communication, weapons, and funding through his outside contacts. Now, investigators are attempting to determine how he communicated with those outside and how directives were communicated. Since he is currently incarcerated, plans are in motion to formally arrest him in this case and place him under remand so that the entire conspiracy can be pieced together.
Police sources claim that Praveen Lonkar also organized the motorcycle, pistol, and money used in the assault. Understanding how such an operation was run from inside the jail is now the main goal of the investigation.
The plan's progression from reconnaissance to escape
About a dozen teams have been assembled by the Crime Branch to look into this well-known case. More information regarding the conspiracy and the gang's future plans may surface once Praveen Lonkar's custody is secured, according to officials. The incident's timeline demonstrates obvious pre-planning. As directed by Shubham Lonkar, shooters Deepak Sharma, Sonu Kumar, and Sunny Kumar finished their last reconnaissance on January 20, 2026, and set the firing date. Sonu and Sunny had already used a scooty they had brought from Pune to survey the area two or three times between January 15 and 20. Following the last reconnaissance, the scooty was discovered with the key still in place in a railway parking lot, where they had first discovered it on January 15. It stayedMore information regarding the conspiracy and the gang's future plans may surface once Praveen Lonkar's custody is secured, according to officials. The incident's timeline demonstrates obvious pre-planning.
The three defendants took a taxi from Kalyan to Mumbai on the evening of January 31. Once they arrived in Juhu, they took the identical scooter out of the parking lot and utilized it for the task.
Sunny was later dropped off at Juhu Chowpatty by Deepak and Sonu. After that, the two sat together and drank alcohol. They eventually arrived close to Rohit Shetty's residence. Deepak moved forward, firing a semi-automatic pistol, leaving Sonu and the scooty behind.
All three moved together at first after the firing. Near the Juhu bus stop, the scooty was left behind. The driver then turned down their attempt to rent a car to Kalyan. To take them to Thane station, another driver consented. A fourth accused joined them as they drove to Kalyan station. After that, the group took an express train to Bhopal, changed trains to Agra, and spent a few days in a village there.
Later, Deepak and Sonu relocated to Noida and lodged at Vishal's home. Ritik then provided them with shelter in Haryana. Vishal, Ritik, and Jatin have been taken into custody by the police on suspicion of aiding the accused in their escape by giving them money, shelter, and other resources.
According to the investigation, the accused traveled to and from Mumbai using public transportation twice and private vehicles four times. To map their route, police have analyzed thousands of CCTV footages. The gun that was fired has not yet been found.
The accused acknowledged during interrogation that they intended to instill fear. They claimed that Vishnu Kushwaha from their village, who is allegedly connected to Golu Pandit of the Shubham Lonkar gang and is involved in a Rs 5 crore extortion demand case in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, gave them the assignment.
The accused also admitted to investigators that they wanted to establish themselves because they were influenced by the gang's social media accounts that glorified criminals. A few gang members had already traveled to Mumbai for reconnaissance prior to the incident. The gang provided a semi-automatic pistol, which was used to carry out the firing on the evening of February 1.
Additionally, investigators discovered that the defendants were closely monitoring news outlets and social media for updates regarding police activity. They would immediately move if they thought the police were approaching.
In order to find additional people involved and comprehend the wider network behind the attack, the Mumbai Crime Branch is currently working to piece together the details of the Rohit Shetty firing case.
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