
Mumbai: In a significant development in the investigation into the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence, accused Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta have been sent to judicial custody till May 27 by a special MCOCA court.
The decision came as his police custody ended today and police sought extension of time for further interrogation. However, the court opted for judicial custody instead.
Advocate Amit Mishra, representing the accused, expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s decision and highlighted that he felt the proceedings were scripted. Mishra said, “It is unfortunate that when they were produced on April 29, there were four accused, one of whom was given judicial custody. Today, only accused numbers one and two were produced, while the others were absent.” The prosecution demanded them from the police.” However, without concrete evidence, the court sent accused numbers one and two to judicial custody, which will be from May 13 to May 27.
Mishra also pointed to the lack of sufficient evidence presented by the prosecution, apart from an alleged phone call requesting a fair trial.
Recently arrested in Rajasthan, Mohammad Rafiq Chaudhary emerged as a new face in the investigation. The Mumbai Crime Branch revealed that Choudhary had provided financial support to shooters Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta and conducted reconnaissance on them. Chaudhary’s arrest has added another layer to the complex web of the firing incident.
On April 14, the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence Galaxy Apartment shook the Bandra area of Mumbai. Subsequent arrests revealed links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, leading Mumbai Police to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against all those involved in the shootout.
Meanwhile, a lookout notice has been issued for Anmol Bishnoi, brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the case. The search for Anmol Bishnoi is emblematic of the ongoing efforts to unravel the complexities surrounding the incident.
In another development, accused Mohammad Rafiq Chaudhary has been sent to crime branch custody till May 13. The crime branch revealed that Chaudhary had met both the shooters in Kurla area on April 8 and April 11, confirming his involvement in the crime. ,