Rohit Shetty Firing Case: Court Extends Police Custody of Five Accused Till February 23

Mumbai, February 18, 2026:
A special court in Mumbai has extended the police remand of five accused arrested in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. The accused have been sent back to police custody till February 23, as investigators stated that their interrogation remains crucial to uncover the larger conspiracy behind the attack.

The extension was granted by the special MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court after police submitted that the custody of the accused was necessary for joint interrogation with other recently arrested suspects.

Accused Arrested from Pune

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the five accused — Aditya Gaiki, Siddharth Yenpure, Samarth Pomaji, Swapnil Sakat, and Asaram Fasale — were arrested from Pune. Investigators claimed that their role was to provide vehicles and weapons to the shooters who were arrested later from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Police Suspect Two Separate Groups Involved

Police informed the court that the shooters arrested on Monday belong to a different group, while the five accused presented earlier are part of another network. Authorities are planning to confront both groups together in order to understand the coordination, funding sources, and the mastermind behind the operation.

Accused Alleges Forced Statement

During the court hearing, accused Swapnil Sakat alleged that police forced him to give a statement and pressured him to sign documents. However, the police dismissed the allegations as false and maintained that all procedures were followed legally.

Extortion Angle Suspected

Investigators believe the firing incident was carried out to create fear and pressure for extortion. Reports suggest that the plan may have been linked to Shubham Lonkar, who is allegedly close to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is also wanted in the Baba Siddique murder case.

Police suspect the motive was to demand a ransom of around ₹5 crore by targeting film personalities, though an official confirmation is still awaited.

12 Arrests Made So Far

So far, 12 individuals have been arrested in the case, including seven suspects arrested recently from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Police told the court that further custody of the five accused is required to trace the source of funds, recover vehicles used in the crime, and identify those who supplied weapons.

Defence Opposes Custody Extension

Defence lawyer Ajinkya Mirgal opposed the police request, arguing that the investigating agency already had enough time for questioning. He further claimed that physical custody was not necessary to trace financial transactions, as mobile phones of the accused had already been seized.

After hearing both sides, the court extended the police remand of all five accused till February 23.

What Happened on the Night of the Attack

The firing incident reportedly occurred on February 1 at around 12:45 AM, when at least five rounds were fired at the first floor of Rohit Shetty’s building in the Juhu area. One bullet reportedly hit the glass of a gym located inside the building.

Police believe the firing was carried out under the instructions of wanted accused Shubham Lonkar, and the intention was to intimidate the filmmaker and create panic.