Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 12th accused from Haryana in the Tiger Shroff firing case, while a special court has remanded 11 other accused to police custody until November 6 as investigators examine an alleged organised crime network, its financial transactions and weapons supply chain.
The latest accused, identified as Aman from Rohna village in Haryana, was apprehended in Kharkhoda after investigators received information that money had been credited to his bank account. Police found that Kunal Sunjay, another accused from Rohna, had deposited money into the account. Investigators also detected several transactions of Rs 5,000 each from other accounts.
Aman is expected to be produced before the special court. His arrest takes the total number of accused arrested in the case to 12, according to the Crime Branch’s submissions reported by the Times of India.
The court’s custody order followed the first remand hearing after provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act were invoked in the case. The special court said the alleged “deep-rooted conspiracy” required detailed custodial interrogation. The Crime Branch told the court that investigators needed to examine the alleged syndicate’s financial network, digital trail and weapons supply chain.
Seeking 10 days of custody, the prosecution submitted that the accused were “digitally equipped” and had allegedly used applications including Signal and Zangi to conceal their identities and communications. The prosecution also said Aadhaar cards had been used in connection with the alleged organised crime activity. Provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, were also invoked, according to the report.
Special judge Satyanarayan R Navandar passed the order after the Crime Branch produced the accused, including two women, before the court. Special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves told the court that MCOCA had been invoked after the alleged role of Anil Pandit, described by the prosecution as a gang leader who remains absconding, emerged during the investigation.
The prosecution alleged that Pandit had formed an organised crime syndicate to regain or establish supremacy in Mumbai and had recruited people from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Investigators have divided the accused into two alleged modules. Fulsingh Kumar, Rehan Ansari, Ritik Mahato, Ankit Khatak and Sameer Khatri were alleged to have conducted reconnaissance and participated in the firing. Radha Verma, Babita Rao, Kunal Jaminsingh, Sumit Saroliya, Jatin Panchal and Pranjal Thakran were alleged to have formed a weapons-delivery team.
The court noted that the possible involvement of more accused and the wider ramifications of the alleged conspiracy required investigation. It also said further custodial interrogation could not be considered unjustified merely because some articles had already been seized and digital material retrieved. The 11 accused will remain in Crime Branch custody until November 6, while the newly arrested accused is due to be produced before the special court.
