Mumbai: The city crime branch has invoked Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the Tiger Shroff firing case, citing the accused persons’ alleged criminal backgrounds, financial motives and a fight for supremacy.According to police, six of the accused have criminal antecedents, while alleged wanted gang leader Anil Pandit has three chargesheets filed against him in serious criminal cases in Haryana and Punjab.Deputy commissioner of police Raj Tilak Roshan said they will produce five of the 11 accused before the special MCOCA court on Wednesday. Police have arrested 11 persons in the attempt-to-murder case, while Pandit has been shown as a wanted accused. He is alleged to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which investigators believe is operating from the United States.Pandit allegedly claimed responsibility for the firing through a social media post and an audio message circulated after the incident. The communication reportedly also contained threats against actor Salman Khan and other members of the film industry. Police are examining the authenticity and evidentiary value of these communications as part of the investigation.Police suspect that the attack was intended not merely to target the actor, but also to create fear and strengthen the gang’s influence. Crime branch officials have also found indications that young men with little or no criminal history were allegedly lured into serious offences through promises of financial rewards and settlement abroad. Most of those arrested are from Sonipat in Haryana.“So far, the investigation suggests that the shooters and those who provided logistical support have received around Rs 2 lakh. Of this, they purchased a second-hand bike for Rs 25,000, Rs 37,000 was transferred into the account of Rehan Ansari, and a few thousand rupees were paid in cash for various expenses. The accountability of the remaining amount is yet to be ascertained,” said DCP Roshan.Meanwhile, transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said he has issued instructions to transport department officials mandating rigorous verification of drivers of app-based aggregators Rapido, Ola and Uber, and demanded strict legal action—including registering police cases—against those violating regulations.A Rapido driver was one of the shooters in the Tiger Shroff case. Another Rapido driver was questioned by the ATS for his suspected links with individuals or organisations in Pakistan.Sarnaik stressed bringing these aggregator services under the purview of the State Transport Authority through comprehensive policy reforms. “If current laws prove inadequate, the state will seriously consider introducing a revised legal framework to bring drivers strictly under the law,” he asserted. (With Somit Sen)
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