Mumbai police have traced about Rs 2 lakh in payments to the shooters and logistics team allegedly involved in the firing at actor Tiger Shroff, according to timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Three suspects arrested in Kota — Phool Singh, Rehan Ansari and Rithik Kumar — were remanded in police custody until Oct 31. Investigators say Rs 25,000 bought a second-hand motorbike and Rs 37,000 was transferred into Ansari's account, with UPI and cash payments still under review. Two factory-made firearms used in the attack remain unrecovered, and police say the accused destroyed their mobile phones.
According to timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Mumbai police have traced payments of roughly Rs 2 lakh to the shooters and logistics team allegedly involved in the firing at actor Tiger Shroff, with three suspects remanded in custody until Oct 31.
The three accused — Phool Singh (18), Rehan Ansari (18) and Rithik Kumar alias Roshan (22) — were arrested in Kota and brought back to Mumbai on Wednesday morning. They were produced before the 37th Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which granted police custody through the end of the month.
Preliminary ballistic findings indicate the shooters used two factory-made firearms during the attack, neither of which has been recovered. Police told the court the accused destroyed the mobile phones used in connection with the crime, making reconstruction of their social media communications a central line of inquiry.
Payments traced through UPI and cash
Investigators are examining transfers made through UPI applications alongside cash payments, according to the report. The money trail links the shooters to those who arranged their logistics support in the city.
Raj Tilak Roshan, deputy commissioner of police, said the group received around Rs 2 lakh, of which Rs 25,000 went toward a second-hand motorbike and Rs 37,000 was transferred into Rehan Ansari’s account. Additional cash payments are still being ascertained.
“So far, investigation suggests the shooters and those who provided logistic support received around Rs 2 lakh, with which they bought a second-hand bike for Rs 25,000. Another Rs 37,000 was transferred in the account of Rehan Ansari. There were some more cash payments which are being ascertained.” — Raj Tilak Roshan, deputy commissioner of police
Defence lawyer Ajinkya Mirgal, appearing for Ansari and Singh, argued that police had already interrogated the pair during a two-day transit remand and that they should be sent to judicial custody instead.
Alleged recruitment and support network
The preliminary investigation traces the alleged chain of contact from Anil Pandit to a man identified as Sameer, and from Sameer to Ansari. Ansari is suspected of having brought together Phool Singh and Rithik Kumar, the two accused alleged to have carried out the firing.
Five others, including two women, have been arrested for allegedly procuring, transporting and supplying weapons to the shooters and providing logistical support. One of them, Radha, a bar girl, was a friend of accused Kunal; the pair travelled to Mumbai with another accused, Babita.
Kunal left Mumbai the same day, while the two women stayed at a lodge in Andheri, delivered the weapons and departed later. They are being brought to Mumbai and will be produced before a court on Thursday, the report said.
Surveillance built on social media
Sources associated with the probe suggested the accused monitored Shroff’s movements through social media posts, videos and reels shared by the actor and his fans. The group is said to have surveyed a playground in Juhu for 10 days.
The shooters had laid out a plan for Oct 11, but the actor did not turn up. Police said the shooters had arrived in Mumbai on Sept 20, giving them weeks in the city before the alleged plan was activated.
Investigators are attempting to establish contact between the shooters and their alleged handlers, including Shubham Lonkar, through other digital evidence and interrogation. The case continues to hinge on recovering the two firearms and reconstructing the destroyed communications.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
