top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Accused trio get 10-day remand

Mumbai: A Mumbai Court has given 10 days police custody to three arrested accused in the firing on Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff in a crowded public place as the investigators attempt to unravel the conspiracy, motives, involvement of other players and related aspects of the sensational case, on Wednesday. The accused trio Rehan alias Sukka, and Phool Singh both from Sonipat in Haryana and Rhitik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar but currently residing in Mumbai,...

Accused trio get 10-day remand

Mumbai: A Mumbai Court has given 10 days police custody to three arrested accused in the firing on Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff in a crowded public place as the investigators attempt to unravel the conspiracy, motives, involvement of other players and related aspects of the sensational case, on Wednesday. The accused trio Rehan alias Sukka, and Phool Singh both from Sonipat in Haryana and Rhitik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar but currently residing in Mumbai, were brought here from Kota in separate vehicles early today. They were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Esplanade Court where the police sought 14 days’ custody for the accused who are allegedly acting at the behest of the jailed mafia chief Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. Pleading for the remand, the police lawyers argued that sustained custodial interrogation was necessary to recover the weapons used in the shooting – which the accused had thrown away while fleeing, retrieve two mobile phones which were reportedly destroyed by the accused, besides digging out the entire conspiracy, pinpoint the exact motives and identify other persons involved in the brazen attack. Opposing the plea, the accused’s lawyers Ajinkya Mirgal and Satyabrat Joshi argued that police custody was unnecessary, particularly for recovering the weapons. Mirgal and Joshi later told mediapersons that the accused had already been interrogated at a railway colony during their transit-remand period and were produced before the CMM Court just minutes before the transit remand expired this afternoon. After hearing both sides, the CMM remanded them to police custody for 10 days till October 31. It may be recalled that Shroff, 36, was targeted on the evening of October 18 near Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. Despite being a heavily crowded area, the assailants were seen firing at least 5-6 rounds at the actor’s car before fleeing on a motorcycle. A shaken Shroff escaped relatively unhurt, sustaining minor bruises, but his driver and a bystander suffered injuries. Following the incident, the Mumbai Police registered a case of attempted murder and offences under the Arms Act, and launched an interstate investigation involving Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, and later Gujarat and Delhi. The Mumbai Police formed 20 teams to hunt down the attackers, recovered the second-hand motorcycle outside Andheri station where it was abandoned and tracked their journey through different modes of transport from Mumbai to Surat and Kota. Acting on a tech-intel alert from Mumbai Police, the Kota Police lay in wait for them and apprehended them from the general coach of the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express on Monday morning. Initial probe revealed that the assailants were planning to flee the country after travelling to the borders via Jaipur and Delhi. They were lured by the promise of sneaking them out of India to a foreign country, possibly Canada and rehabilitating them. Three key accused brought to Mumbai from Kota Three key accused apprehended in connection with the firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car were brought to Mumbai from Kota in Rajasthan early on Wednesday, police said. Police brought them by road from Kota to Mumbai and, upon arrival, immediately took them to GT Hospital for a mandatory medical examination, an official said. Following the medical check-up, the accused were escorted to the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) office for interrogation. The accused have been identified as Rehan alias Sukka, from Sonipat in Haryana; Ritik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar and living in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana, the official said. The Kota city police had handed them over to Mumbai Police, which formally arrested them and produced them before a magistrate there. The court granted transit remand to take them to Mumbai. Meanwhile, advocate Ajinkya Mirgal arrived at the AEC office in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, informing officials that he would represent the accused as their defence counsel in the case. At least two men fired gunshots at Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening before speeding away on a motorcycle. The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander were injured. According to Mumbai Police, five to six rounds were fired at the car. A motorcycle, allegedly used by the shooters, was found abandoned in Andheri. The accused fled to Surat and once there, boarded a Jaipur-bound train. The three were supposed to go to Delhi on a bus and then flee to Nepal. The Mumbai Police have registered a case under the provisions of attempt to murder and the Arms Act. According to the police, Rehan was in touch with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which claimed responsibility for the attack in an unverified social media post. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested four more persons, including two women, in connection with the firing case. Police suspect they were acting on the directions of Anil Pandit, a gangster operating from abroad, an official earlier said. The four accused, identified as Kunal (21), Sumit (19), Radha (23), and Babita (23), were apprehended from Delhi and Haryana. According to police, Kunal allegedly collected a pistol and 20 rounds from Amritsar on the instructions of Anil Pandit, with Sumit accompanying him. Radha and Babita allegedly travelled to Mumbai with the weapon. Following the arrest, the police said the motive of the shooting was being ascertained, while the way Shroff was attacked, the assailants planned to kill him.

New Political Fault Lines

Writer: Rajendra Pandharpure
Rajendra Pandharpure
Jul 19
3 min read

Student unrest, NCP realignments and electoral manoeuvres are reshaping the city’s political conversation

Pune: The city’s political landscape last week was defined by two contrasting forces: the energy of student activism and the uncertainty surrounding the future of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In a city where campuses have long served as incubators of political debate and where the Pawar family’s influence remains deeply entrenched, both developments carried significance far beyond immediate headlines.


With more than one million students studying across Pune’s vast network of universities, colleges and professional institutions, the city remains one of Maharashtra’s most politically sensitive educational hubs. The student population includes a diverse mix of local youth and migrants from across the country, creating fertile ground for competing ideological currents. Organisations linked to the BJP, Congress, Left groups and newer political formations have all sought influence among this demographic.


Large Demonstration

Against this backdrop, the student agitation led by Abhijit Dipke and the group calling itself the Cockroach Janata Party has attracted considerable attention. Dipke’s recent visit to Pune, where he led a protest at Savitribai Phule Pune University, drew a large student turnout and brought the movement into the national spotlight. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) subsequently extended support to the campaign, organising rallies and meetings in the city.


The backing extended by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction and the Congress to Dipke’s Delhi protest has brought together several anti-BJP political forces. The police action during the Delhi demonstrations is likely to continue influencing political discussions in Pune, particularly among student groups that have traditionally played an important role in shaping urban political narratives.


Yet, away from the campuses, another political drama was unfolding. The future of the two NCP factions remained a subject of intense speculation in Pune, a region where both Sharad Pawar and the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar continue to command considerable respect. The Pawars’ political legacy has been central to the district’s power structure for decades, making every movement within the party a matter of public interest.


Frenzied Speculation

Among party workers, the possibility of a reunion between the two NCP factions is still viewed with scepticism. However, speculation has grown over whether Sharad Pawar’s faction could eventually move closer to the BJP. Such a possibility has received a lukewarm response from many of Pawar’s supporters, who remain uncomfortable with any political arrangement involving the BJP.


Memories of Ajit Pawar’s political journey continue to shape these discussions. Several workers recall that he had begun reassessing his association with the BJP before his death. A minister, while speaking to RSS supporters, reportedly said that his decision to support Ajit Pawar was driven by personal affection, but that the alliance had political costs. The reduced victory margin, the absence of support from some close associates and the subsequent reassessment of political strategy strengthened his belief that the future course should be guided by the ideological traditions of Mahatma Phule, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj and Dr B.R. Ambedkar.


These conversations indicate that cadres within both NCP factions are carefully watching the evolving political equations. While formal alliances remain uncertain, ideological considerations appear to be influencing grassroots sentiment.


Meanwhile, the city’s electoral machinery is preparing for the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of voter lists. Political workers across parties have become active in the process, engaging with voters and ensuring participation. The BJP’s organisational network, in particular, appears to be highly mobilised, reflecting the party’s emphasis on booth-level preparation and voter outreach.


Beyond party politics, a troubling incident has also entered Pune’s public discourse. A real estate developer from the city’s outskirts died by suicide after leaving behind a note naming 14 political leaders whom he allegedly held responsible for his decision. Police have registered a case and begun an investigation.


Together, these developments reveal that Pune’s political contest is not merely about competing parties but increasingly about competing narratives over identity, ideology and influence in one of Maharashtra’s most politically consequential urban centres.

Comments

bottom of page