The main shooter, Deepak Sharma, arrested in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu, has told investigators that he accepted the offer to open fire as he was burdened by debt and urgently needed money, police said.
During interrogation, Sharma claimed that he got scared before carrying out the attack and bought alcohol, which he consumed before going to Shetty’s residence to execute the crime.
Sharma, the eldest sibling in his family, has younger sisters. Last year, one of his sisters got married, following which he mortgaged his residence to secure a loan. Another sister, who got married three years ago, has been facing health issues and alleged harassment from her husband and in-laws, due to which she returned to live with her parents, a Crime Branch officer associated with the probe said.
“He was desperate for money to clear his debts and around this time he received the offer,” the officer said.
According to the police, the main accused, Shubham Lonkar and Arzoo Bishnoi, contacted Sharma and three of his associates and allegedly offered them Rs 3 lakh to carry out the firing. However, the group received only the first instalment of Rs 50,000. Lonkar and Bishnoi have been shown as wanted accused in the case, the officer added.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has recovered the pistol used in the firing. The weapon, described by police as sophisticated, has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory Kalina for ballistic examination.
Explaining how the crime was carried out, an official said Sharma and Sunny Kumar conducted a recce of the area outside the director’s residence on multiple occasions before the firing on February 1.
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Sources said Sharma, along with Sonu Thakur and Kushwahah, arrived in Mumbai late on January 31. After consuming alcohol, the others stayed back while Sharma rode to Shetty’s residence and fired five rounds. Sonu was allegedly waiting at Juhu beach.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
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Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More
