Three unidentified bike borne men fired four rounds outside film producer Ali Morani's bungalow Shagun in Juhu on Saturday night. Morani had earlier complained about threat calls from gangster Ravi Pujari.
The police found three bullet marks while the fourth one is still being traced. Police said while one bullet hit a tree outside, the second one pierced through the glass on the third floor of the bungalow while the third went inside the premises after brushing the bonnet of Morani's BMW car parked inside the compound.
Morani had earlier filed an extortion complaint with the anti-extortion cell on Mumbai crime branch around a month ago. A crime branch source said, "The producer had also requested for police protection following the threat call but was yet to get the same. He had received several threat calls from Pujari in last one month."
Milind Bharambe, additional commissioner of police (west region) confirmed the incident and said, "We have registered a case against unknown persons for extortion and investigation is on." However, Bharambe refused to elaborate further on the incident saying, "It is a very sensitive case and we cannot reveal much at such stage."
According to the police, the incident occurred around 10.40 pm on Saturday, when three unknown men came on a bike and the person sitting in the middle fired four rounds towards the bungalow, which has glass cover. Two watchmen who were sitting outside ran inside the bungalow after hearing the bullet shots.
{{/usCountry}}According to the police, the incident occurred around 10.40 pm on Saturday, when three unknown men came on a bike and the person sitting in the middle fired four rounds towards the bungalow, which has glass cover. Two watchmen who were sitting outside ran inside the bungalow after hearing the bullet shots.
{{/usCountry}}"The incident was witnessed by the watchmen and they immediately alerted the Morani family," the source said.
"Ali Morani had left his bungalow to fly to Dubai, about half-an-hour before the incident," the source said adding, "Soon after the firing, Pujari called Morani but he did not pick up the call." Police said, subsequently Pujari sent a threat message on his daughter's mobile and asked her to pass the same to her father. "He also asked her to tell him to pick up his call or face consequences," the source said.
The producer's brother Karim approached the Juhu police only on Sunday evening to lodge a complaint, sources said adding after verifying the incident a case against unknown persons was registered. "A police team has been posted at Morani's bungalow for safety," added the officer.