In a bold escalation, Mumbai Crime Branch has slapped MCOCA charges on five men arrested for the brazen shooting outside ace director Rohit Shetty’s bungalow. The special court has remanded them to police custody till February 17, rejecting a longer plea but affirming the need for deeper scrutiny into this alarming breach of security.
The drama began with the custody expiry on Wednesday, leading to a courtroom showdown. Prosecutors pushed for 15 days, citing critical leads, but the judge opted for a shorter leash. MCOCA’s invocation signals police conviction that this wasn’t a random act but part of orchestrated criminality, akin to gangland intimidation.
Swift action followed the gunfire: 12 teams fanned out, netting the quintet rapidly. Interrogations peeled back layers of conspiracy, revealing ties to absconding kingpin Shubham Lonkar. Court submissions detailed Signal app exchanges where Lonkar urged a ‘major move’ in Mumbai, backing it with a Rs 40,000 wire transfer.
Weapons traced back through Praveen Lonkar, Shubham’s sibling, who handed over three firearms to the shooters. Now in custody, Praveen’s grilling could unlock more secrets. With operations intensifying to capture Shubham, the case exposes vulnerabilities even in elite neighborhoods.
This incident reverberates through Bollywood and beyond, spotlighting how crime syndicates target celebrities for extortion or dominance. MCOCA’s tough provisions—curtailing bail and empowering probes—position police to unravel the full plot. As custody ticks down, Mumbai braces for revelations that could reshape its crime-fighting landscape.