The investigation into the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s house in Mumbai’s Juhu area has revealed details that point to a larger and carefully planned operation. According to the Crime Branch, the attack may have been orchestrated from inside a jail and carried out through operatives on the outside. So far, a total of 12 accused, including the main shooter, have been arrested in connection with the case. Investigators believe the planning, coordination and execution were not isolated acts, but part of a wider network working in sync.
Role of jailed accused under scanner
Sources indicate that Praveen Lonkar, brother of Bishnoi gang-linked Shubham Lonkar, is being seen as a key figure in the case. Praveen is currently lodged in judicial custody in connection with the Baba Siddique murder case. Police suspect that he arranged weapons, funds and logistics for the attack while he was inside jail.
The Crime Branch believes Praveen used his external contacts to coordinate funding, weapons and communication between the accused. Officials are now trying to trace how he stayed in touch with people outside and how instructions were passed on. Since he is already in jail, preparations are underway to formally arrest him in this case and take him on remand to piece together the full conspiracy.
According to police sources, the motorcycle, pistol and funding used in the attack were also arranged at Praveen Lonkar’s direction. The investigation is now focused on understanding how such an operation was managed from within jail.
From recce to escape, how the plan unfolded
The Crime Branch has formed around 12 teams to investigate this high-profile case. Officials say that once Praveen Lonkar’s custody is secured, more details about the conspiracy and the gang’s future plans could come to light. The timeline of the incident shows clear pre-planning. On January 20, 2026, shooters Deepak Sharma, Sonu Kumar and Sunny Kumar completed their final recce on instructions from Shubham Lonkar and fixed the date for the firing. Between January 15 and 20, Sonu and Sunny had already surveyed the area two to three times using a scooty brought from Pune. After the final recce, the scooty was left in a railway parking area where they had originally found it on January 15, with the key still in place. It remained there for about 11 days without raising suspicion.
On the night of January 31, the three accused travelled from Kalyan to Mumbai by taxi. After reaching Juhu, they retrieved the same scooty from the parking area and used it for the operation.
Deepak and Sonu later dropped Sunny at Juhu Chowpatty. The two then sat in one place and consumed alcohol. After some time, they reached near Rohit Shetty’s house. Leaving the scooty and Sonu at a distance, Deepak walked ahead and opened fire using a semi-automatic pistol.
After the firing, all three initially moved together. The scooty was abandoned near Juhu bus stop. They then tried to hire an auto to Kalyan, but the driver refused. Another auto driver agreed to take them to Thane station. From there, they took another auto to Kalyan station, where a fourth accused joined them. The group then boarded an express train to Bhopal, changed trains to reach Agra, and stayed in a village there for a few days.
Deepak and Sonu later moved to Noida and stayed at Vishal’s house. After that, they were given shelter in Haryana by Ritik. Police have arrested Vishal, Ritik and Jatin for allegedly helping the accused by providing shelter, money and other resources during their escape.
The investigation has also revealed that the accused used private vehicles four times and public transport twice while travelling to and from Mumbai. Police have examined thousands of CCTV footages to map their route. The weapon used in the firing has not been recovered yet.
During questioning, the accused admitted that their intention was to spread fear. They said the task was assigned to them by Vishnu Kushwaha from their village, who is believed to be linked to Golu Pandit of the Shubham Lonkar gang, associated with a Rs 5 crore extortion demand case in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar.
The accused also told investigators that they were influenced by the glorification of criminals on the gang’s social media accounts and wanted to make a name for themselves. Before the incident, some members of the gang had already visited Mumbai for recce. On the night of February 1, the firing was carried out using a semi-automatic pistol provided by the gang.
Investigators further found that the accused were closely tracking media and social media updates about police action. Whenever they felt the police were getting close, they would quickly change their location.
For now, the Mumbai Crime Branch continues to connect the dots in the Rohit Shetty firing case, trying to identify others involved and understand the larger network behind the attack.
Also read: Rohit Shetty house firing case: Mumbai crime branch arrests another suspect; total arrests reach 12
