The Mumbai crime branch has arrested the sixth accused in connection with the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence, as reported by news agency PTI on Tuesday. The accused is also a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Identified as Harpal Singh (34), a resident of Fatehabad in Haryana, the accused was arrested from his hometown by a team of the Mumbai crime branch on Monday evening. An official confirmed that Harpal Singh was brought to Mumbai in the wee hours of Tuesday, and later in the day, he would be produced before the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court.
Harpal Singh's name was reportedly brought up during the interrogation of accused Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary, who is also a member of Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Chowdhary was arrested earlier this month in the case, an official confirmed. It is believed that Harpal Singh had told Rafique Chowdhary to conduct a recce around Salman Khan's home, and gave him Rs 2-3 lakh for the work. Chowdhary has been remanded into custody till May 13
For those caught unaware, two motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire outside Salman Khan's home, Galaxy Apartment, in Mumbai's Bandra area on April 14. Post that, they fled from the spot. Lawrence Bishnoi, who is in Sabarmati central prison in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, along with his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, have been named in the case. Anmol Bishnoi had claimed responsibility for the firing incident through a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, Anuj Thapan, one of the accused, who was arrested for allegedly supplying weapons to the shooters, committed suicide in a police lock-up, located in the commissionerate complex at Mumbai’s Crawford Market, on May 1. He was arrested on April 26 from Punjab along with Sonu Bishnoi. Post his death, Anuj Thapan’s family moved the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe. While the police have claimed that Thapan killed himself, his family allegedly suspects foul play.
