Signing you in

The accused allegedly chose Shroff because he moved around in public with less security, making him an easier target, sources said.

Three alleged shooters, two from Haryana and one from Bihar, were arrested by Kota Police in Rajasthan in connection with the incident. They were subsequently handed over to Mumbai Police for further investigation.

Meanwhile, gangster Anil Pandit, who allegedly operates from the United States, has emerged as a key suspect in the case. Police are probing his alleged links to more than a dozen extortion cases and targeted attacks in Delhi and Haryana, as well as his suspected connections to similar incidents in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

A native of Haryana’s Panipat district, Pandit is suspected of operating a network from the US and coordinating with shooters in India, a police source said.

Delhi Police has been investigating his alleged involvement in several cases in the national capital, including a firing incident outside a gym associated with Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa in Paschim Vihar.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police is also gathering information about shooters active in Delhi-NCR and examining their possible links to Pandit’s alleged network. Around 10 teams have been deployed to investigate different aspects of the case, the source said.

Investigators are examining a social media post in which Pandit allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack on Shroff and issued a threat linked to the Bollywood industry. Police are also trying to establish the roles of those involved, trace the source of the weapons and determine whether the shooters received financial support from the network.AUDIO CLIP CARRIES THREAT TO FILM INDUSTRY

A purported audio clip attributed to Pandit, 32, has circulated widely on media platforms. In the clip, he allegedly claims Shroff was targeted because he ignored warnings against working with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

The speaker also demands an apology from Salman Khan to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Bishnoi community over the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The blackbuck is considered sacred by the community.

The purported audio clip carries a further threat that other members of the film industry close to Salman Khan could also be targeted if he does not apologise. Police are examining the alleged claims and the suspected links between the shooters and the wider network as part of the investigation.

The firing took place in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening, when unidentified men riding a motorcycle allegedly opened fire at Shroff’s car. The actor escaped unhurt, while his driver and a fan sustained injuries.- EndsWith agency inputs

Divyesh Singh is one of the leading crime journalists in the country. A seasoned investigative journalist with experience of over 15 years in journalism covering Crime, Internal security, Defence, Central Agencies, and Rural issues, he has a number of exclusive breaks and investigative stories to his name. Presently working with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Aajtak / India Today based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Some of his stories to recall are 'Confessions of members from radical organisation in a bomb blast case in which they had been acquitted, Fodder scam in drought affected areas of Maharashtra, Crypto currency scam worth hundreds of crores ,Financial scam targeting US citizens, Black-marketing of life saving Covid19 drugs'. Many such investigations have been appreciated by law enforcement agencies and he has been awarded and appreciated twice by the Maharashtra police for helping the agency crack two serious cases, one a financial scam worth crores and another a double murder case. His coverage in the actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case brought to light the facts in the case, while reported a series of exclusives in the Yes Bank DHFL case and Iqbal Mirchi case on India Today / Aajtak. His coverage on crime underworld and narcotics has been extensive and indepth.