The Mumbai crime branch has arrested another member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in connection with the firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Bandra, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday. He is the sixth person to be arrested in the firing case.
The accused, identified as Harpal Singh (34), a resident of Fatehabad in Haryana, was arrested by a team of the Mumbai crime branch from his hometown on Monday evening, an official said. Harpal Singh was brought to Mumbai in the early hours of Tuesday and will be produced before a court later in the day.
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 from the spot.
Harpal Singh's name came to light during the interrogation of accused Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary, another Lawrence Bishnoi gang member who was arrested earlier this month in the firing case, the official said.
Harpal Singh had asked Rafique Chowdhary to conduct a recce around Salman Khan's residence and also gave ₹2-3 lakh to him, the police said. He allegedly conducted a recce around Salman Khan's residence more than five times.
{{/usCountry}}Harpal Singh had asked Rafique Chowdhary to conduct a recce around Salman Khan's residence and also gave ₹2-3 lakh to him, the police said. He allegedly conducted a recce around Salman Khan's residence more than five times.
{{/usCountry}}One of the arrested persons, Anuj Thapan, who was accused of supplying weapons to the shooters, allegedly hanged himself in a police lock-up in Mumbai on May 1.
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.
An official said Chowdhary's role had come to light during the interrogation of the persons arrested in the case. He is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and was in direct contact with the alleged shooters - Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, the official said. Choudhary allegedly provided financial support to Pal and Gupta to purchase a motorcycle and rent a house.
Before the firing incident, Choudhary went to Panvel in neighbouring Navi Mumbai and stayed with Pal and Gupta, the official. Choudhary provided all the logistical support to the accused persons since the conspiracy of firing was hatched, the official said.
After a specific information received about Chowdhary's whereabouts, a crime branch team was sent to Rajasthan, and he was apprehended from Nagaur district.
One of the arrested persons, Anuj Thapan, who was accused of supplying weapons to the shooters, allegedly hanged himself in a police lock-up here on May 1.
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.
(With inputs from PTI)