New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Investigators probing the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff are examining the alleged role of Anil Pandit, a Haryana-born gangster suspected of operating from the United States and maintaining links with criminal networks in India.
According to police sources cited in reports, Pandit is being investigated in connection with more than a dozen alleged cases involving extortion and targeted shootings across Haryana and Delhi. Authorities are also examining whether his network has links to similar incidents reported in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Three alleged shooters — two from Haryana and one from Bihar — have been arrested by Kota Police in connection with the attack on Shroff. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police Special Cell is gathering intelligence on suspected shooters active across the Delhi-NCR region to establish whether they are connected to the case.
Around 10 police teams have reportedly been assigned to examine different aspects of the investigation, including the identities of those involved, their communication channels and the possible source of weapons and funding.
Social media claim under scrutiny
Investigators are also examining a social media post purportedly attributed to Pandit that allegedly claimed responsibility for the firing and threatened members of the film industry.
A purported audio recording circulating across media platforms has added another dimension to the probe. In the clip, a man identified as Pandit allegedly claims that Shroff was targeted for ignoring warnings related to his professional association with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.
The speaker is also heard demanding an apology from Khan to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Bishnoi community, reportedly referring to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The recording contains threats against other members of the film fraternity said to be close to the actor.
The authenticity of the recording and the claims attributed to Pandit remain matters for investigators to establish.
Police examine links to earlier firing incidents
Pandit’s name had previously surfaced during investigations into a firing incident outside a gym associated with Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar, according to a police source.
Authorities are now examining possible connections between that case and other incidents involving alleged extortion and targeted attacks in several states. Investigators suspect that messaging applications may have been used to coordinate with shooters operating across state borders.
Police are attempting to determine the individual roles of suspected gang members, trace the weapons allegedly used in attacks and establish whether financial assistance was provided to those carrying them out.
Investigators may also question suspected associates lodged in Tihar and Mandoli jails as they work to identify the wider network and determine whether any further attacks had been planned in Delhi.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the alleged links between Pandit, the arrested suspects and the firing incident will need to be established through evidence.
