Mumbai:

A new charge sheet filed against five accused of plotting to assassinate Bollywood actor Salman Khan has revealed chilling details. According to the Navi Mumbai Police, the accused, associated with the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang, have been charged with conspiracy to murder and other grave offences. 

On April 14, Two men on motorbikes fired multiple rounds outside Mr Khan’s residence in Bandra, leading to the arrest of several individuals.

According to the charge sheet, the Bishnoi gang had issued a contract worth Rs 25 lakh to assassinate the actor. The plan was hatched over several months, from August 2023 to April 2024. Investigations have revealed that the gang intended to acquire advanced firearms from Pakistan, including AK-47s, AK-92s, M16 rifles, and the Turkish-made Zigana pistol, the weapon used in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala on May 29, 2022.

The conspiracy wasn’t merely confined to acquiring weapons; it extended to a well-orchestrated surveillance operation. According to the charge sheet, a network of approximately 60 to 70 individuals was involved in tracking Mr Khan’s every movement. This extensive surveillance covered his residence in Mumbai, his Panvel farmhouse, and even the Goregaon Film City, where he often visited for film shoots.

The charge sheet claims that boys below the age of 18 were recruited to execute the assassination. These minors were reportedly waiting for orders from Goldie Brar and Anmol Bishnoi, key figures in the gang believed to be operating from North America, to initiate the attack.

A day after the shooting incident outside Mr Khan’s home, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met with the actor and assured all help.

“The government is with you, I have told Salman Khan. Both the accused have been arrested. They will be interrogated. We will get to the root of the case. Nobody will be spared. Nobody should targeted this way,” Eknath Shinde told reporters outside the actor’s home.

“No gang or gang war will be allowed. We won’t allow this to happen. We will finish (Lawrence) Bishnoi,” he added.

Mumbai:

Mumbai police have recovered an audio file which establishes a link between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the attackers who shot at actor Salman Khan’s house in April. Sources said that the audio file shows that Lawrence’s brother Anmol Bishnoi was in constant touch with the shooter.

The authenticity of this crucial evidence was verified through forensic analysis by the Central Investigation Agency.

During the investigation, Salman Khan recounted waking up to the sound of gunshots on April 14, initially mistaking them for a nightmare until he found a bullet lodged in his balcony.

The Mumbai Police’s crime branch, led by a senior officer, swiftly responded to the scene and initiated an investigation.

Police efforts have intensified with the questioning of witnesses and suspects alike, piecing together the intricate details of the plot. The involvement of a Pakistani arms supplier in arming the assailants with high-calibre weapons such as AK-47s and M-16s underscores the seriousness of the threat posed to the actor.

Based on the current investigation, police believe that the shooting was carried out by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who has in the past made attempts to kill Salman Khan.

Lawrence Bishnoi, along with his Canada-based cousin Anmol Bishnoi and associate Goldie Brar, had reportedly acquired AK-47s, M-16s, and other high-calibre weapons from a Pakistani arms dealer. The plan was to either ambush the star’s car or attack his farmhouse, sources said.

Six men have been arrested after two men on a bike opened fire outside Salman Khan’s home on April 14. Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were arrested in Gujarat, while Anuj Thapan and another man were detained in Punjab on April 26. Anuj Thapan died in police custody.

Mumbai:

AK-47 and M-16 rifles from Pakistan, minor sharpshooters and an escape plan to Sri Lanka – the police have uncovered chilling details of an assassination plot to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang had allegedly conspired to strike Mr Khan’s car in Maharashtra’s Panvel, armed with weapons sourced from a Pakistani arms supplier.

The intricate plan, allegedly hatched by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, involved a sophisticated network of operatives and a cache of high-powered weapons. According to Navi Mumbai police sources, the gang enlisted the help of 60 to 70 individuals, each assigned specific roles in the execution of the diabolical plot.

Central to the scheme was the use of minors as shooters. The plan aimed to strike at Mr Khan’s vehicle in Panvel or target his secluded farmhouse.

Among those arrested in connection with this are Dhananjay Tapesingh alias Ajay Kashyap, Gaurav Bhatia alias Nahvi, Vapsi Khan alias Waseem Chikna, and Rizwan Khan, each believed to have played a key role in the plot. Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in jail, his cousin Anmol Bishnoi, and associate Goldie Brar, allegedly facilitated the acquisition of the deadly weapons from the Pakistani dealer known only as Dogar.

Kashyap, a key member of the Bishnoi gang, lived in Navi Mumbai’s Kalamboli. He was in touch with a person identified as Sukha Shooter, who has Bishnoi’s photo as his profile picture. Kashyap and his cohorts held clandestine meetings in strategic locations such as the Panvel bus stand and railway station, plotting to execute their plans, including reconnaissance of Salman Khan’s properties.

Their footprint extends across multiple states and borders, with Kashyap’s trail leading to illegal arms depots in Kashmir, Ganganagar, and even the Pakistan border.

Conversations between Kashyap and Bishnoi revealed frequent discussions among the associates about the exchange of weapons and coordination via WhatsApp calls.

Additionally, after assassinating Mr Khan, Bishnoi and Goldie Brar planned to pay a substantial sum of money to the hitmen, with the funds transferred from Canada.

The gang was prepared to use modern weapons such as AK-47s, M16s, and AK-92s to carry out the assassination. Similar weapons were used in the murder of the Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. The gang members were shown weapons like AK-47s and ammunition through WhatsApp video calls.

Following the execution of the attack, the attackers were instructed to flee to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, where they would be ferried by sea to Sri Lanka. From there, arrangements were in place for their safe passage to another country, facilitated by Anmol Bishnoi, based in Canada.

Further investigations uncovered the gang’s collaboration with other criminal outfits, notably with the organisation formerly led by gangster Anand Pal, now overseen by his daughter Chinu.

On April 14, when two bike-borne men opened fire outside Mr Khan’s residence in Mumbai’s Bandra. After the incident, police arrested four suspects: Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, who were apprehended in Gujarat, while Anuj Thapan and another individual were detained in Punjab on April 26. In total, six arrests have been made, although Anuj Thapan died in police custody.
 

Mumbai:

The Navi Mumbai Police have uncovered yet another plot to assassinate Bollywood actor Salman Khan. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang had allegedly conspired to strike Mr Khan’s car in Maharashtra’s Panvel, armed with weapons sourced from a Pakistani arms supplier. 

The Navi Mumbai Police have registered an FIR and arrested four individuals linked to this conspiracy. This follows an incident on April 14, when two bike-borne men opened fire outside Mr Khan’s residence in Mumbai’s Bandra.

According to police sources, jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, alongside his Canada-based cousin Anmol Bishnoi and associate Goldie Brar, had reportedly acquired AK-47s, M-16s, and other high-calibre weapons from a Pakistani arms dealer. The plan was to either ambush Mr Khan’s vehicle or attack his farmhouse.

After the firing incident outside Mr Khan’s Bandra residence, police arrested four suspects: Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were apprehended in Gujarat, while Anuj Thapan and another individual were detained in Punjab on April 26. In total, six arrests have been made, although Anuj Thapan died in police custody.

The circumstances of Thapan’s death have drawn significant scrutiny. The Bombay High Court has expressed frustration over the “incomplete” autopsy report presented, saying that it lacked vital details, such as a “diagram of the ligature mark” found on Thapan’s neck and information on any other potential injuries.

Thapan’s mother, Rita Devi, filed a petition on May 3, alleging that her son was physically assaulted and tortured in police custody, leading to his death on May 1 in a Mumbai crime branch lock-up. While the police maintain that Thapan died by suicide, Ms Devi’s petition calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident.

Mumbai:

The two men arrested for allegedly opening fire outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai were not aware of the target until weapons and bullets were delivered to them at their rented house in Panvel, a police officer said on Wednesday, citing probe carried out so far.

The alleged shooters, Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta from Bihar, were arrested from Gujarat within 48 hours of the April 14 firing outside Khan’s home at the Galaxy Apartment in upscale Bandra. They are in judicial custody till May 27.

The Mumbai policeCrime Branch, during interrogation, found Pal and Gupta were given the task by Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. But they had no idea they had to fire at Salman Khan’s residence till the arms were delivered, said the official.

According to the official, Pal was recruited in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang by one Ankit. Pal and Ankit used to play cricket together and they eventually became friends. Pal was later added to a WhatsApp group by Ankit.

After a few days, Ankit told Pal about an assignment for which the gang needed one more person. Gupta, the second shooter, was then added to the group.

Ankit told the two men to go to Mumbai to complete the task and promised a good amount of money in return. Both shooters were handled by a person on instructions of Anmol Bishnoi, who is based abroad, the official said.

Initially, they were given Rs 30,000 and asked to go to Mumbai in October last year and search for a rented house near Panvel on Mumbai’s outskirts, where Khan has a farmhouse, he said.

Pal and Gupta came to the city and stayed here for more than two months, during which they visited various places and went back to their village in Bihar when their money ran out, said the official.

In February, both were again contacted by the gang and given Rs 40,000 and asked to get a rented house for their stay. This time they came to Panvel, around 60 km from Mumbai, and took a house on rent in the Harigram area, he said.

After some days, they were asked to purchase a motorbike, for which money was deposited in their bank accounts, and some cash was also given to them, the official informed.

A few days before the delivery of weapons, they were asked to conduct a survey of the 58-year-old actor’s residence in Bandra and his farmhouse in Panvel. Two pistols and ‘live’ rounds were delivered to them on March 15 by two men, Sonu Bishnoi and Anuj Thapan, at their rented home, and it was at this point that they were told about the target, he said.

Vicky Gupta and Pal then spoke to Anmol Bishnoi.

While speaking to him, Vicky Gupta recorded the call and made an audio clip, which was sent to his brother Sonu Gupta, the official said.

The Mumbai police have recorded Sonu Gupta’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC, he said.

The statement recorded under the section is admissible in trial, unlike the one given before police.
Both shooters were told by a gang member that they would get good money after completing the task.

Early on April 14, both went to Bandra on a motorbike and fired five rounds outside Khan’s residence and fled the city, according to the official.

The men were arrested by a Crime Branch team from Gujarat, while weapons supplier Anuj Thapan and Sonu Bishnoi were nabbed from Punjab. One more gang member, Mohmmed Rafique Chowdhary (37), who provided funds to the shooters, was caught from Rajasthan.

On instructions of Anmol Bishnoi, Chowdhary met the shooters on March 8 at Mumbai suburb of Kurla. Chowdhary told them Anmol Bishnoi had given him a “bigger job” than that assigned to the duos, the official said.

Chowdhary conducted recce of Khan’s residence several times. On April 12, two days before the firing, he recorded a video and clicked photos of the actor’s residence and sent them to another gang member, who later forwarded them to Anmol Bishnoi, he said.

The police were checking if Chowdhary recorded videos and clicked pictures of residences of more celebrities, the official said.

In all, five persons were arrested in connection with the shooting. One of them, Anuj Thapan, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a police lock-up in Mumbai on May 1.

Lawrence Bishnoi, currently lodged in the Sabarmati central prison in Ahmedabad, and his younger brother Anmol, who is believed to be in the US or Canada, have been named as accused in the firing case.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

The Mumbai crime branch has arrested a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Rajasthan for allegedly providing financial help to the shooters involved in firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s house, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused, Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary (37), said in a meeting with shooters that Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, had given him a “bigger task” than them, the official said.

Chowdhary was arrested from Bansi village of Nagaur district in Rajasthan, he said.

Two motorcycle-borne persons opened fire outside Mr Khan’s residence at the Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra area on April 14 and fled the spot.

Chowdhary , the fifth person to be arrested in the firing case, was produced before a Mumbai court which sent him in police custody, the official said.

His name cropped up during the interrogation of the other accused persons and also during technical analysis of their mobile phones, he said.

Chowdhary’s family members stay in Mumbai and run a dairy business. Chowdhary, who has studied up to Class 12, was in direct contact with Anmol Bishnoi and another gang leader, Rohit Gadara, he said.

He used to work in the dairy business of his family in South Mumbai. However, during the pandemic, the dairy business shut down, following which he came into contact with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, the official said.

He was recruited into the gang by Anmol Bishnoi. After joining the gang, he used to remain mostly in his hometown, the official said.

When alleged shooters Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta came to Mumbai, Anmol Bishnoi instructed them to meet Chowdhary. The trio met at Kurla on April 8, a week before shooting outside Mr Khan’s house, the official said.

During the meeting, Chowdhary told the shooters to complete the task given to them and leave the metropolis.

Anmol Bishnoi told Chowdhary he had been given a “bigger task” than the shooters, he said.

The Mumbai police are now investigating what kind of task Chowdhary was assigned by Anmol Bishnoi, he said.

According to another official, Chowdhary has surveyed Mr Khan’s residence several times.

As Chowdhary was in direct contact with Anmol Bishnoi and Rohit Gudara, the crime branch suspects that the two gangsters are together, he said.

Earlier, Gudara was traced in the UK and he may be now with Anmol Bishnoi in the USA, he said.

Choudhary allegedly provided financial support to Pal and Gupta to purchase a motorcycle and rent a house, he said.

The shooters had received money from various persons connected with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, including Chowdhary, who had provided over Rs 1 lakh in cash for the purchase of a motorbike, renting a house in Panvel near Mumbai, and other expenses, said the official.

Chowdhary also received money from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, the official said.

One of the arrested persons, Anuj Thapan, who was accused of supplying weapons to the shooters, allegedly hanged himself in a police lock-up here on May 1.

Lawrence Bishnoi, currently lodged in the Sabarmati central prison in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, and his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, who is believed to be in the US or Canada, have been named in the firing case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gangster Goldy Brar was not killed in a shootout in California on Wednesday, US Police clarified amid a whirlwind of speculation on social media platforms. The notorious gangster is the prime accused in the murder of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and has also orchestrated attacks on Salman Khan.

The rumours of his death first emerged on social media on Wednesday morning and then spread like wildfire across news websites. Videos of the shooting also went viral, further fueling the frenzy. However, upon investigation, these videos were found to be old recordings, not related to the California incident.

The narrative going viral on social media suggested that Goldy Brar, along with associates of gangsters Pavit Singh and Jaggoo Bhagnapuria, was involved in a scuffle at a club in Fresno, California. During the altercation, gunfire erupted, resulting in Brar’s death, the rumours said. Gangster Arsh Dalla allegedly claimed responsibility for the murder.

Simultaneously, reports emerged of a shooting incident in Fresno, where two individuals were shot and hospitalized in critical condition. However, the identity of the victims remained undisclosed by the California police.

Later in the day, Lieutenant William J Dooley of the Fresno Police Department clarified that the victim of the shooting incident in Fresno was not Goldy Brar, debunking the rumors circulating online.

“If you are inquiring because of the online chatter claiming that the shooting victim is ‘Goldy Brar’, we can confirm that this is absolutely not true,” Dooley told the media.

Security agencies in India echoed similar sentiments, stating that they had no information regarding Goldy Brar’s death.

Following the denial, security agencies in California delved into a shooting incident that occurred on April 30 to ascertain the truth behind the claims. The focus shifted to determining whether Goldy Brar was indeed shot after a brawl or if another individual was involved in the shooting.

Mumbai:

Two men arrested for firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai had conducted a survey of his farmhouse at Panvel in adjoining Raigad district four days before the shooting incident, police said on Thursday.

Prima facie, the duo’s main objective behind firing outside Salman Khan’s residence in Galaxy Apartments in upscale Bandra on early Sunday morning was to create “terror”, a police official said, citing investigation conducted so far into the sensational incident.

During their custodial interrogation, the accused, Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21), told Mumbai Crime Branch officials that they had conducted a recce of Aprita Farms, Salman Khan’s sprawling farm house at Panvel, four days before opening fire outside his residence in Mumbai on April 14, he said.

The 58-year-old actor frequently visits the farmhouse, located around 60km from Mumbai, the official said.

As part of their evidence gathering exercise, police were examining CCTV cameras installed at the gate of the farm house and nearby areas. The duo, hailing from Bihar, had rented a house almost 10km away from the property in the Harigram area of Panvel, he said.

Both the accused, apprehended by a Mumbai Crime Branch team from Bhuj in Kutch district of adjoining Gujarat within 48 hours of the firing incident, have admitted to their involvement in the offence, said the official.

Police have received important information about the conspiracy angle in the episode and they were verifying details and corroborating them with evidence gathered so far, he said.

The weapon, a pistol, used in the firing was delivered to Gupta and Pal at their rented home by two persons almost 25 days before the incident, he said.

Prima facie it seems the primary aim of the firing was to create “terror” and that is why the duo, who were on a motorbike, chose early hours to execute their plan, noted the official.

Vicky Gupta and Pal had received payment in cash by their handlers for executing the task assigned to them, but their bank accounts were also being examined, he informed.

Pal, who had fired five rounds outside Salman Khan’s residence from a moving motorbike, had undergone training in firing at his native village in Bihar’s West Champaran district sometime after mid-March before arriving in Mumbai in the first week of April, said the official.

The Mumbai police have detained 19-year-old Sonu Gupta, younger brother of Vicky Gupta, from Chandigarh and his possible role in the crime is being investigated, he said.

Sonu Gupta is among various persons who are being questioned, the official said.

Vicky Gupta’s residence in West Champaran district has been searched by a Crime Branch team which also questioned his parents and another brother, he said.

Police were also making enquiries with Pal’s family members, the official said.

During investigation, it also came to light that a Facebook account with the name of Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was created from abroad three hours before the firing (which took place around 5am Indian time), he said.

A post claiming responsibility for the firing was uploaded on the same Facebook account, the official informed.

He said the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the post was traced to Portugal and it is suspected the message was uploaded using VPN (virtual private network), a tool which allows a user to remotely access a private network for purposes of privacy and security.

During interrogation, the police tried to find out how the duo came into contact with Anmol Bishnoi and joined his gang, the official said.

So far, Anmol Bishnoi has not been named as an accused in the case, but his prima facie role is visible in the crime, he said.

Vicky Gupta and Pal were arrested from a village in Kutch district on late Monday night and produced the next day before a Mumbai court which sent them to police custody till April 25.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Another suspect involved in the Salman Khan firing case was detained from Haryana Wednesday night. As per police sources, this individual served as a liaison between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the shooters – Vicky Gupta, 24, and Sagar Kumar Palak, 21 – who are in police custody. 

On Sunday at 4:55 am, two men on a motorcycle fired five rounds outside Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai’s Bandra, where the actor resides, and fled from the spot.

Sagar Kumar Palak, one of the two suspects, was allegedly provided with a gun just hours before the incident, sourced from the Bandra area on the night of April 13. However, the identity of the person supplying the weapon remains unknown, police said. Both the accused are from West Champaran in Bihar and were arrested by Mumbai Police from the premises of a temple in Gujarat’s Kutch district late Monday night. 

According to police sources, both Palak and his accomplice Vicky Gupta were allegedly offered Rs 4 lakh to carry out the shooting, with an initial payment of Rs 1 lakh provided upfront. The intended objective, as stated by Mumbai Crime Branch officials, was not to murder Mr Khan but to scare him.

“The accused conducted a ‘recce’ of Salman Khan’s farmhouse in Panvel. They intended to just scare him, not murder him. The statements of both families have been recorded in Bihar. Around 7 people have been called from Haryana and other states for questioning, which is ongoing,” a Mumbai Crime Branch official said, as quoted by news agency ANI. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch is also set to record Mr Khan’s statement as a witness in the case. 

Yesterday afternoon, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met with the actor and assured him all help. 

“The government is with you, I have told Salman Khan. Both the accused have been arrested. They will be interrogated. We will get to the root of the case. Nobody will be spared. Nobody should targeted this way,” Eknath Shinde told reporters outside the actor’s home.

“No gang or gang war will be allowed. We won’t allow this to happen. We will finish (Lawrence) Bishnoi,” he added.

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.