Mumbai: The Lawrence Bishnoi gang allegedly gave a "supari" (contract) of Rs 20 Lakhs collectively to six accused persons to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Two motorcycle-borne opened fire on April 14, 2024 at around 5.00 a.m. at the actor's sea-facing home in Galaxy Apartments, Bandra (W). The actor was present in the house, but was not hurt. Surprisingly not even a constable was present when the firing took place despite the fact that the actor is a `Y' category protectee. The Bishnoi gang has been gunning for the actor ever since he had shot black bucks in 1998. Black bucks are highly revered by the Bishnoi community of Haryana and Rajasthan.
While accused Vicky Gupta (24) was riding a motorcycle, his associated Sagar Pal (35) opened fire at Galaxy apartment. According to the chargesheet, Gupta confessed that he committed the crime because of the poor financial condition of his family. In the confession he stated that, “I felt that I wouldn't get caught by the police but got arrested all the same."
In his confession Gupta has given details of his meeting with Sagar Pal, who informed him that he knows a person named Ankit who is in direct touch with the jailed Lawrence Bishnoi. Later Sagar Pal asked him to come to Jalandar and informed him that he is in touch with Anmol Bishnoi, brother of Lawrence Bishnoi. Sagar asked me to download the Signals app and instructed to speak to him only through this app. From then on, Sagar, Gupta and Anmol meticulously planned the assassination of Khan.
A close friend of Gupta informed the police that the latter tried to rope in him also in the conspiracy by offering to pay Rs 1,000 per day. But, he declined he offer. But he was threatened with dire consequences if he squealed about the plot to anyone.
This friend, whose identity is not disclosed by the police, also said that the accusee used his bank account to collect the money from a person named Vikas. With the first instalment of Rs 25,000 they purchased a second-hand motorcycle.
Vicky Gupta, Sagar Pal and Anmol Bishnoi were given responsibility by Lawrence Bishnoi to recruit, if necessary, to execute the plot. As per the chargesheet, Mumbai Police have established the money trail chart of payment received from an unknown person via Cash Deposit Machine(CDM) located in Chandigarh, Patna and other states from 01 March 2023 to13 April,a day before the incident.
Another accused, Mohammad Rafiq Haji(37), a native of Nagaur district of Rajasthan who was working in the dairy of his elder brother located in Kurla (W) has also reportedly confessed the crime.
In the statement he had mentioned that “in 2021, he was working in a dairy shop located in Sihor district, Madhya Pradesh, where his face book friend Roshan Sharma added him to many whats app groups like, Bajrang Dal, Delhi NCR, Jai Shree Ram and Sopu group 29. There were many members of the group who were unhappy about being Muslim, Sharma added me in the group and a person named Haripal Singh aka Hary who knew many of the group members. Hary and I became good friends, where he told me that his brother Pawan is a gang member of Lawrence Bishnoi. In the first week of April Hary called him and informed him that his finger was injured in the firing and two people are coming to attack one famous person and it's your responsibility to take care of them and sent Rs. 8000 to his friends account."
Accused Sagar Pal, Vicky Gupta had many bank accounts and police have included all bank transaction details in the chargesheet. The police also sent a letter to Meta to get the details of the IP address, Log in, Log Out detail, email, mobile number, device details of the Facebook profile of Anmol Bishnoi who took the responsibility a few hours after the incident.
