Salman Khan firing case: One more member of Lawrence Bishnoi gang arrested

Representational Image

The Mumbai Police have arrested one more member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in connection with firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai last month, officials said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.

Salman Khan firing case: The accused a resident of Fatehabad in Haryana

The accused, identified as Harpal Singh (34), a resident of Fatehabad in Haryana, was apprehended by a team of the Mumbai crime branch from his hometown on Monday evening, an official said, reported PTI.

Singh was brought to Mumbai in the early hours of Tuesday and will be produced before a court later in the day, he said.

This is the sixth arrest in connection with the firing incident.

Salman Khan firing case: The firing incident

Two motorcycle-borne persons opened fire outside Salman Khan's residence at the Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area on April 14 and fled the spot, reported PTI.

Singh's name surfaced during the interrogation of accused Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary, another Bishnoi gang member who was arrested earlier this month in the firing case, the official said.

Singh had asked Chowdhary to conduct a recce around Khan's residence and also gave Rs 2-3 lakh to him, the police said.

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.

Salman Khan firing case: Arrested accused Rafiq Choudhary did recce of two more actors' homes

The fifth accused, Mohammad Rafiq Choudhary, arrested from Rajasthan, had conducted reconnaissance not only at Salman Khan's residence but also at the homes of two other Bollywood actors, according to the Mumbai Crime Branch officials, reported news agency ANI.

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, Anmol Bishnoi, played a key role in motivating the shooters. After receiving weapons delivery in Panvel on March 15, 2024, Anmol provided the shooters with the target's information, instructing them to carry out the firing at the actor's residence, reported ANI.

According to the information obtained from the Crime Branch, Chaudhary had done a recce of the actor Salman Khan's apartment building on April 12 and had also made a video of it and sent it to Anmol.

Shooters, Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, were apprehensive about carrying out the firing until Anmol reassured them that they would gain virtue by completing the task, reported ANI.

The two were sent to Mumbai in October last year by the Bishnoi gang. Despite multiple attempts, they were unable to secure accommodation. Finally, in March 2024, with the help of a local rickshaw driver in Panvel, they managed to rent a flat in the Harigram area.

The planned firing incident was executed as per instructions, during which the shooters received a total of Rs 3 lakh, reported ANI.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)