Salman Khan residence firing case: Arrested accused Rafiq Choudhary did recce of two more actors' homes

MUMBAI: The fifth accused, Mohammad Rafiq Choudhary, arrested from Rajasthan, had conducted reconnaissance not only at Salman Khan's residence but also at the homes of two other Bollywood actors, according to the Mumbai Crime Branch officials.

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, Anmol Vishnoi, played a key role in motivating the shooters. After receiving weapons delivery in Panvel on March 15, 2024, Anmol provided the shooters with the target's information, instructing them to carry out the firing at the actor's residence.

According to the information obtained from the Crime Branch, Chaudhary had done a recce of the actor Salman Khan's apartment building on April 12 and had also made a video of it and sent it to Anmol. Shooters, Pal and Gupta, were apprehensive about carrying out the firing until Anmol reassured them that they would gain virtue by completing the task.

The two were sent to Mumbai in October last year by the Vishnoi gang. Despite multiple attempts, they were unable to secure accommodation. Finally, in March 2024, with the help of a local rickshaw driver in Panvel, they managed to rent a flat in the Harigram area.

The planned firing incident was executed as per instructions, during which the shooters received a total of 3 lakh rupees. The Mumbai Crime Branch is continuing its investigation into the matter to apprehend all individuals involved in the case. The firing incident, which took place on April 14 outside Salman Khan's residence at Galaxy Apartments, sent shockwaves through the Bandra area of Mumbai.

The subsequent arrests revealed connections to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, leading the Mumbai Police to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against all involved in the shooting. Meanwhile, a lookout notice has been issued for Anmol Bishnoi, brother of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the case.