Who is Anil Pandit? Gangster linked to Tiger Shroff shooting case asks Salman Khan to apologize to Bishnoi — News | Today’s news

Gangster Anil Pandit has reportedly claimed responsibility on social media for shooting at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Juhu, Mumbai, Maharashtra on Sunday night. The actor was inside the car when three assailants came in front of his car and fired at him.

Delhi Police said preliminary interrogation revealed that one of the suspected gunmen, identified as Rehan, 18, was in communication with Anil Pandit.

“Rehan was in touch with Anil Pandit earlier…,” said Kota SP Tejaswani Gautam after three suspects were arrested in Rajasthan on Monday in the shooting of actor Tiger Shroff.

Who is Anil Pandit?

Police on Monday said Anil Pandit is linked to Lawrence Bishnoi, the gangster behind the April 2024 shooting outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments residence in Bandra, Mumbai.

Read also | Who is Lawrence Bishnoi? Gangster operating from prison

Operating out of California, 12 counts of extortion: Pandit operates from abroad and issues instructions to his associates from there.

Pandit is a resident of Rai Kalan village in Haryana’s Panipat district, according to a Hindustan Times report, which cited a statement from the crime branch.

Pandit is said to have left India around 2023 and had no significant criminal record.

He is believed to have traveled to the United States via a “dunki” route in December 2023 and shortly thereafter began working for the Bishnoi gang.

Police said he became involved in coordinating criminal activity from abroad after leaving the country. He is now wanted in more than 12 extortion cases in Haryana, police said, HT was told.

According to cops, Pandit operates primarily from California and is associated with other alleged members of the syndicate, including Harman Sandhu, Harry Boxer, Shubham Lonkar and Randeep Malik.

Intimidate celebrities: Anil Pandit is accused of using threats and firing to intimidate celebrities, artists and businessmen and demanding protection money on behalf of the Bishnoi gang, the report added.

Anil Pandit is said to be acting as a key coordinator who manages extortion and targeted attacks on actors, singers and influencers in Delhi, Haryana and Mumbai, the Indian Express reported.

Investigators suspect he helps coordinate extortion and gunman attacks in India. “Investigations have revealed that Pandit is communicating with all the hitmen on the Signal app and sending armed assailants to create terror for the Bishnoi gang,” a source told Indian Express.

Tiger Shroff Shooting Case: After the alleged assassination attempt on Tiger Shroff, Pandit and his associate Harman Sandhu released audio messages and social media posts claiming responsibility for the attack, reported HT.

They have issued a warning to members of the film industry against associating with certain people or defying the syndicate, police said.

In an alleged audio clip received by several security agencies after the incident, Pandit is heard claiming responsibility, threatening the film industry and warning Bollywood star Salman Khan.

However, the authenticity of the clip is still unknown.

Apologize to Bishnoi: After the Tiger Shroff incident, In a chilling audio purportedly featuring Anil Pandit, the speaker threatened Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and demanded an apology from jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the Bishnoi community, the Times of India reported.

In the audio shared by the Mumbai Crime Branch, Pandit warned Salman Khan not to rely on his security and threatened his family if he did not apologise.

Read also | Aamir Khan threatened by Lawrence Bishnoi gang: Report

“Listen to me carefully, Salman Khan. If you don’t apologize to my elder brother Lawrence Bishnoi or the Bishnoi community, we won’t let even a dog in your house. We will destroy your entire family. Keep this in mind. Don’t think that you are safe and nothing will happen to you,” Anil Pandit was quoted as saying by TOI.

Anil Pandit’s past recording

In the past eight months, three shooting incidents targeting celebrities in Haryana, Delhi and Mumbai can be traced to a single handler: Anil Pandit, the Indian Express reported.

Guru Randhawa’s Gym Shooting: Pandit has reportedly claimed responsibility for the June 11 attack outside the ’24HS Fitness’ gym in West Delhi, owned by Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa.

Attack on Haryanvi singer Diler Kharkiya: Investigation revealed that Pandit was linked to the targeted shooting of Haryanvi singer Diler Kharkiya and that the attack was carried out as a warning after demands for blackmail or compliance were ignored. The incident happened at Khark Kalawan village in Bhiwani on September 17.

Extortion call to influencer from Delhi: Manish Jain, a businessman from Rohini with 5.1 million followers on Instagram and 40.5 million followers on his official business page, has repeatedly received calls and WhatsApp messages from foreign numbers. Pandit was said to be demanding ₹5 crore and threatened to kill him if he did not pay, the Indian Express reported.

Tiger Shroff Shooting Case

Three people, including a minor, allegedly involved in the shooting of actor Tiger Shroff, were detained in Rajasthan’s Kota city on Monday from the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express, police said.

Three assailants allegedly opened fire on Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening. The actor escaped without injury, his driver and another person were injured. Police said three rounds were fired at the “Wars” actor.

Kota Superintendent of Police (SP) Tejaswani Gautam told a press conference that one of the accused was in contact with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack in an unverified social media post.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Shroff at his residence in Mumbai’s Bandra late on Sunday evening, inquired about the 36-year-old actor’s health and assured his family of complete safety.

After meeting Shroff, Shinde said the time had come to root out criminal networks again, referring to the crackdown on gangs in the 1990s. “It will be tit for ham, bullets for bullets,” he said.

The Mumbai police registered a case of attempted murder in connection with the incident, which was later handed over to the crime branch.

Born Jai Hemant Shroff on March 2, 1990, Shroff is one of Bollywood’s leading action stars and martial artists, holding a 5th degree black belt in Taekwondo.

He made his debut with ‘Heropanti’ in 2014 and cemented his status as an action hero with films like ‘Baaghi’, ‘Baaghi 2’ and the YRF Spy Universe hit ‘War’.

(With input from agencies)