MUMBAI: Police are probing whether the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence was linked to his upcoming film projects, as investigators examine multiple angles, including his professional work and recent association with underworld-themed material. Shetty, who shares close ties with senior police officers and is often seen sharing the dais with them at public events, had recently acquired the rights to former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria’s book on the underworld. Following the incident, police have enhanced security around his residence, while forensic teams secured the premises for a detailed examination. The firing took place at around 12.45 am on the first floor of Shetty Tower at Hasya Kalakar Mehmood Chowk in Juhu. No injuries were reported. Police said four to five rounds were fired at the building, striking the wall and first-floor portion, after which the assailant fled. Mumbai Police have arrested five persons from Pune in connection with the incident — Swapnil Sakat (23), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Aditya Gayaki (19), Samarth Pomaji (18) and Aman Marote (27). One of the accused is a college student, while the others are unemployed. Police have not yet disclosed who among them fired the shots.
Investigators said the accused travelled from Pune on a motorcycle, carried out the firing and abandoned the bike about 2 km from Shetty’s residence. CCTV footage captured the rider near the spot. The motorcycle, which had a Pune registration and was owned by one of the accused, was traced through its registration details and is now in the custody of the Crime Branch and Anti-Extortion Cell. Police said Shetty has three private security guards in the building. “At the time of the firing, the guards were inside the premises. One was briefly away. All rushed out on hearing the gunshots. Shetty immediately informed the police,” a crime branch officer said. Soon after the incident, a social media post surfaced in which Shubham Lonkar, an associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the firing and issued a threat to Shetty and the Bollywood industry. Police said the claim is being verified, noting that Shetty is not known to have received any prior threats. The Pune angle is being closely examined, as the city is believed to have been used by the Bishnoi gang to plan the murder of NCP MLA Baba Siddiqui. Police said no direct link has yet been established between the suspects arrested in the Juhu firing case and those held in the Siddiqui murder, though the angle remains under investigation.Mumbai Police produced all five accused before a criminal court, which granted four days’ police custody. Counsel for the accused told the court that his clients had no links with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and claimed they had no knowledge of the firing. Police, however, said the arrests were made after analysing CCTV footage and technical evidence. DCP Sambhaji Kadam said the accused hailed from different parts of Pune and were arrested by coordinated teams. “Further details will emerge as the investigation progresses,” he said.
