Rohit Shetty shooting case: 15th accused arrested from Agra
What's the story
In a significant development in the Rohit Shetty firing case, the 15th accused has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Mumbai Police, confirmed The Free Press Journal. The accused, identified as Pradeep Kumar alias Gaath, is reportedly associated with Shubham Lonkar's gang that allegedly executed the attack to extort money. The incident had occurred on February 1 at Shetty's residence in Juhu, Mumbai.
Details
Gaath was apprehended in Agra
Gaath was apprehended at 3:56pm on Thursday from the Chhadami Mattha area along the Agra-Etah road, under the Bah police station limits in Agra. The arrest was made by a joint team of UP STF and Mumbai Police Crime Branch, based on technical analysis and intelligence sharing between the two agencies.
Investigation findings
Gaath inspired by the Lonkar gang's social media presence
Investigations revealed that Gaath, a resident of Ashok Nagar, Agra, was inspired by the Lonkar gang's social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. He confessed to his involvement in the crime with associates Sonu, Sunny, and Deepu to establish "dominance" in the underworld. The attack was allegedly ordered by the Lonkar gang to instill fear within the film industry.
Case updates
Golu, Vishnu Kushwaha, and more arrested
Gaath's arrest marks another addition to the list of arrests in this high-profile case. Earlier, eight other accused, including Pradeep Sharma alias Golu, Vishnu Kushwaha, and Deepak, were arrested in joint operations. Following his arrest, Gaath was handed over to a Mumbai Police team at the Bah police station. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch will now take him on transit remand and continue with further legal proceedings.
Incident details
Manhunt launched for all those associated with Lonkar
To recall, five rounds were fired at Shetty's Juhu residence in February. The Mumbai Crime Branch later found that the vehicle used in the firing was procured from Pune. After the incident, a manhunt was launched for all those associated with Lonkar, and arrests are being made accordingly.