Tiger Shroff shooting: US-based gangster Anil Pandit under scanner

Mumbai Police have widened their probe into the firing at actor Tiger Shroff, with investigators focusing on alleged gangster Anil Pandit, a Haryana native believed to be operating from the US and linked to multiple extortion and targeted attack cases across north India.

Three alleged shooters, identified as Rehan from Haryana’s Sonipat and Ritik alias Roshan from Bihar’s Begusarai, along with another accused from Haryana, were arrested from the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express at Kota railway station on Monday (October 19), less than 24 hours after the attack. Police said the trio were intercepted during a swift operation after tracking their movement from Mumbai through Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Accused may have tried to flee to Nepal

According to investigators, two of the accused allegedly opened fire on Shroff’s vehicle in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening. The actor escaped unhurt, but his driver and a bystander sustained injuries. The shooting, captured on video, triggered concerns across the film industry and prompted a multi-agency investigation.

Also read: Tiger Shroff shooting: Gang claim, extortion or governance failure?

Mumbai Police said one accused is 18 years old while the other two are 22. The motorcycle allegedly used in the attack has been recovered from Andheri, though no weapons were found in the possession of the suspects when they were detained. Officials said the accused have been brought to Mumbai on transit remand and will be interrogated to establish the motive behind the attack.

Investigators believe the suspects were attempting to flee towards Nepal. Kota SP Tejaswani Gautam said the trio told officers they had boarded the train after carrying out the attack and planned to travel via Jaipur and Delhi before crossing the border.

Lens on Anil Pandit

The case has drawn attention to Anil Pandit, a 32-year-old alleged gangster from Panipat whose name has surfaced in several extortion and firing investigations in Delhi, Haryana and other states. Delhi Police’s Special Cell is also examining his possible links to active shooters operating across the Delhi-NCR region.

Pandit allegedly runs a network from the US, coordinating shooters through encrypted messaging applications and maintaining links with criminal operatives across multiple states. Investigators are reportedly examining his suspected role in extortion cases and firing incidents reported in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. His name had previously surfaced during a probe into a shooting outside a gym linked to Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa in Delhi.

Social media post, audio clip under scrutiny

A purported social media post claiming responsibility for the attack and an audio clip allegedly featuring Pandit are also under scrutiny. In the clip, whose authenticity has not been officially verified, the speaker claims Shroff was targeted for ignoring warnings against associating with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The voice also demands an apology from Khan to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Bishnoi community over the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, while threatening further attacks on members of the film fraternity.

Also read: Tiger Shroff firing: Shooters planned to flee to Nepal after attack, say police

Police are investigating possible links between Pandit and the Lawrence Bishnoi network. Rehan was allegedly in contact with Pandit before the shooting.

Nearly 10 Delhi Police teams and 20 Mumbai crime branch teams have been deployed to examine different aspects of the case. Investigators are also tracking financial transactions, communication records and the source of weapons used in the attack. Associates suspected of having links to the network, including some lodged in Delhi’s Tihar and Mandoli jails, may also be questioned.

Who are the accused?

As the investigation gathers pace, details about the accused have emerged from their families. Rehan’s father, Raisuddin, told reporters in Haryana that his son had been out on bail in an Arms Act case registered a few months ago. A Class 9 dropout, Rehan had not lived with him for nearly a decade and stayed with his mother in a village in Sonipat district, he said.

“He was booked in a gun-related case a few months ago and got bail,” Raisuddin said, attributing his son’s legal troubles to his company of friends.

Another accused’s father, a labourer from Sonipat, said he had no knowledge of how his son reached Mumbai. He claimed the youth had been learning tile work in Gohana to earn a living and had left home more than a month ago.

Fadnavis talks tough

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the accused fled towards Surat after the firing before boarding a train headed for Jaipur. He said Mumbai Police coordinated with Rajasthan Police to intercept them at Kota station.

Also read: Tiger Shroff firing: 15 teams to track down assailants, Fadnavis assures strict action

“Everyone involved in this will be traced. No one will be spared,” Fadnavis said.

The attack has sparked a political row and renewed concerns over law and order in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticised the BJP-led government, citing a series of shootings, murders, extortion cases and kidnappings in the state.

Film workers concerned

Film industry bodies also expressed concern. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees said the incident raised serious questions about the safety of film personalities and called for a time-bound investigation.

The All India Cine Workers Association described the attack as part of a broader pattern of threats facing the entertainment industry, asking how ordinary citizens could feel secure if high-profile actors were being targeted in Mumbai.

A case has been registered under sections relating to attempt to murder and the Arms Act. Police said establishing the exact motive behind the shooting remains a key priority as investigators seek to unravel the broader criminal network allegedly behind the attack.

(With agency inputs)