The scheme to carry out the shooting outside Salman Khan's home originated in the US.
A plan hatched in the United States, a network of professional shooters and weapon caches stockpiled across multiple Indian states - the makings of the shooting incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence resembles a crime-thriller script.
On Sunday at around 5 am, two men on a motorcycle fired four rounds outside Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai's Bandra, where the actor resides, and fled from the spot. CCTV installed in the area caught the individuals sporting caps and carrying backpacks. Additionally, the footage showed them firing towards the actor's residence. One of the suspects donned a white t-shirt paired with a black jacket and denim pants, while the other was attired in a red t-shirt with denim pants.
Both men, according to police sources, are part of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Bishnoi is currently in Tihar Jail for his involvement in several high-profile murder cases including that of musician Sidhu Moose Wala and Rajput leader and Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi
How The Plot Was Hatched
The scheme originated in the United States, where Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, entrusted the task of selecting shooters to Rohit Godara, another gangster also based in the US. This decision was likely influenced by Godara's extensive network of professional shooters spanning several states in India, police said.
Anmol Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the incident through a Facebook post. However, the IP address of the Facebook page that claimed responsibility for the firing incident was traced back to Canada. The police are investigating the possibility that a VPN was utilized to create the Facebook post.
Godara holds a key position in the Bishnoi gang due to his involvement in previous high-profile cases, including the Raju Theth murder case in Rajasthan and the Gogamedi murder case.
The Bishnoi gang maintains a ready supply of weapons strategically stored in various locations across multiple states, police said. It is suspected that Godara facilitated the provision of weapons to the shooters through his associates in India.
Vishal, also known as Kalu, emerged as a prime candidate for the job due to his involvement in previous violent incidents orchestrated by Godara. Vishal is wanted in connection with the March murder of Gurugram-based businessman Sachin Munjal. Godara reportedly confessed to Munjal's killing via a social media post.
Vishal and the other suspect purchased a second-hand bike from Raigad district to reach Mr Khan's residence. They travelled to Mumbai on that bike from Panvel. The police are questioning individuals about the sale of this bike.
Sources have said that the police vehicle, which is typically stationed outside Mr Khan's house, was not present on Sunday morning.
Police from five states - Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab - have initiated a coordinated effort to apprehend those involved.
Previous Threats To Salman Khan
Last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that Mr Khan topped the list of 10 main targets that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi planned to eliminate, citing the actor's infamous 1998 black buck hunting incident, which according to the gangster, offended the Bishnoi community.
Mumbai Police escalated Mr Khan's security status to Y+, following another threat call made on April 11 last year. Currently, the Y+ security is undergoing review. Eleven security personnel accompany Mr Khan at all times, including one or two commandos and two Personal Security Officers (PSO). Two vehicles always accompany Mr Khan's car, one in front and one behind and the car is fully bulletproof.
A lookout circular (LOC) was issued against an Indian student in the United Kingdom for allegedly sending a threatening email to Mr Khan.
Apart from the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police, both the Maharashtra ATS and the National Investigation Agency have also requested detailed information about the case. While the case was transferred from the local police to the crime branch, there has been no communication or request to transfer the case to the ATS or NIA.