Crime – Mumbai Police Expose Multi-State Plot in Shetty Firing Case

Crime – The probe into the gunfire reported outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Mumbai residence has uncovered a carefully coordinated operation that stretched across several states, according to officials familiar with the case. Investigators from the Mumbai Crime Branch say the suspects conducted their final surveillance of the location on January 20, 2026, before carrying out the shooting in the early hours of February 1.

Surveillance Conducted Days Before the Attack

Police sources said the alleged attackers acted under instructions from Shubham Lonkar. The shooters — identified as Deepak Sharma, Sonu Kumar and Sunny Kumar — are believed to have settled on the date of the attack after completing a recce of the area on January 20.

Investigators found that between January 15 and January 20, Sonu and Sunny made repeated visits to the vicinity of Shetty’s house. They reportedly used a scooter brought from Pune to move around the area without attracting attention. After completing their reconnaissance, the scooter was returned to a railway station parking facility, where it had originally been discovered with its keys on January 15. Authorities were surprised to find that the vehicle remained parked there for nearly 11 days without drawing suspicion.

Execution of the Plan in Juhu

On the night of January 31, the three men allegedly traveled from Kalyan to Mumbai by taxi. Once in Juhu, they retrieved the scooter from the railway parking lot. According to investigators, Deepak and Sonu later dropped Sunny near Juhu Chowpatty and consumed alcohol before proceeding further.

Police claim that Deepak then approached Rohit Shetty’s residence on foot and fired multiple rounds from a semi-automatic pistol. Sonu is said to have waited at a distance with the scooter, ready to facilitate a quick escape.

Escape Route Spanned Multiple Cities

Following the gunfire, the suspects allegedly abandoned the scooter near a bus stop in Juhu and fled the area. Their escape route took them through Thane and Kalyan railway stations, where they boarded an express train bound for Bhopal.

From Bhopal, they are believed to have traveled to Agra and later sought refuge in a village. Authorities say Deepak and Sonu subsequently moved to Noida, where they stayed at the residence of an associate named Vishal. Later, they allegedly shifted to Haryana and were sheltered by another contact, Ritik.

Police have arrested Vishal, Ritik and Jatin on charges of providing financial assistance, shelter and logistical support during the suspects’ attempt to evade arrest.

Extensive CCTV Analysis and Ongoing Search for Weapon

Officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch stated that the accused relied on a mix of private and public transport to avoid detection, using private vehicles on four occasions and public transport twice. To reconstruct their movements, investigators reviewed thousands of CCTV recordings across multiple locations.

Despite these efforts, the firearm allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, and efforts are ongoing to trace its origin.

Alleged Motive Linked to Criminal Network

During questioning, the suspects reportedly told investigators that their objective was to create panic rather than target an individual for personal reasons. They claimed the assignment had been relayed by Vishnu Kushwaha from their village, who was allegedly connected to Golu Pandit of the Shubham Lonkar gang. The gang is reportedly under scrutiny in connection with a ₹5 crore extortion case registered in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

According to police sources, the accused admitted they were influenced by the portrayal of gang members on social media and sought to gain notoriety through the act.

Investigators also revealed that certain members of the group had previously visited Mumbai to assess the location. The semi-automatic pistol used in the February 1 incident was allegedly supplied by the gang. Authorities further discovered that the suspects closely monitored news coverage and online updates related to the investigation, frequently changing locations whenever they sensed increased police activity.

The Mumbai Crime Branch continues to examine the broader conspiracy, focusing on identifying additional individuals involved and dismantling the network believed to be behind the incident.