The Mumbai Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act for attempt to murder and other offences.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Saturday alleged that escalating security concerns and organised crime threats are compelling the Hindi film industry to consider relocating outside Mumbai. He demanded immediate resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.
Addressing a press conference at Tilak Bhavan, Mr. Sapkal cited recent incidents involving threats and attacks targeting actors Tiger Shroff and Salman Khan, as well as filmmaker Rohit Shetty. “Film actors, producers and directors are being openly targeted in Mumbai, and threats are being issued against them. The entire Bollywood industry is living under a climate of fear. The fact that the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has had to approach the Union Home Minister directly to seek security is an extremely shameful reflection of Maharashtra’s law and order situation. Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis is solely responsible for this grave situation. He has completely failed to maintain law and order in Maharashtra,” he said.
Responding to queries, the Congress leader alleged political patronisation behind the resurgence of gang activity and suggested that political ambitions by neighboring states to siphon off Mumbai's film industry might be linked to the current security climate. He said the plans to shift Bollywood out of Mumbai were no longer a secret as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had publicly spoken about moving the film industry to his state.
“When artists are being shot at and Bollywood is preparing to move out of Mumbai, the BJP-led Mahayuti government has lost the moral right to remain in power. If it cannot control crime in the state, it should resign,” the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested 11th accused, 22-year-old Pranjal Thakran, from Indore. Thakran, originally from Sonipat, Haryana, had come to Indore five days ago for the treatment of his paralysed brother. Police suspect that he provided logistical support and financial or operational assistance to the shooters and key conspirators involved in the attack.
The Mumbai police also recovered two firearms from Surat that were allegedly used to target the actor’s car. The recovered weapons and ammunition have been sent for forensic examination and ballistic testing to match them with the empty shell casings retrieved from the crime scene.
At least two men fired gunshots at Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on the evening of October 18 before speeding away on a motorcycle. The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander were injured. According to Mumbai Police, five to six rounds were fired at the car. A motorcycle, allegedly used by the shooters, was found abandoned in Andheri.
The Mumbai Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act for attempt to murder and other offences. Eleven persons have been held so far from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Police have named gangster Anil Pandit, who had claimed responsibility for the firing on Tiger Shroff, as a wanted accused in the case. Pandit is an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang believed to be operating from the US. He had claimed responsibility for the October 18 attack on the actor in a social media post.
