A chargesheet filed by the Navi Mumbai Police has thrown up a sensational revelation of ₹25 lakh contract to assassinate actor Salman Khan near his farmhouse in Panvel, Maharashtra. Five persons have been named in the document for being involved in the plot that the police attribute to a gang headed by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
The charge sheet mentioned that the arrested accused were into acquiring sophisticated firearms, AK-47s, AK-92s, M-16s, and the Turkish-made Zigana weapon. The same firearm had been used in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. What is also alarming is that minors were recruited to execute this plan, and most of the minors are still at large in Pune, Raigad, Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Gujarat.
An investigation revealed that about 60-70 persons were tracking Salman Khan’s movements, principally at Bandra residence, Panvel farmhouse, and Goregaon Film City. The investigation also reported that the plot against the actor was hatched between August 2023 and April 2024.
Key details emerged from the arrest of Sukkha in Panipat, Haryana, who assigned the task to contracted shooter Ajay Kashyap, alias AK, and four accomplices. After recce, the team found that tight security for the actor, coupled with bulletproof vehicles, necessitated high-end weaponry for the assassination.
Sukkha allegedly did a video conference with a Pakistan-based arms dealer known as Dogar, showing him AK-47s and other advanced firearms while negotiating the terms of the arms deal. The negotiation for an advance of 50% was agreed upon, with the rest to be paid upon delivery in India.
The chargesheet also mentions that the shooters at all places were getting instructions from Canada-based gangster Goldie Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi. They planned to regroup in Kanyakumari post-assassination, and from there, they planned a boat trip to Sri Lanka and onward to a place outside the reach of Indian investigating agencies.
The probe into the recent shooting incident outside Salman Khan’s Bandra home unraveled the conspiracy to target him. Following the imminent security threat, additional security has been deployed outside Khan’s residence, especially after the assassination of former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique in Bandra.
