A man from Haryana has been arrested by Navi Mumbai police for allegedly conducting a recce of Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s farmhouse in Panvel, marking the second foiled attempt to attack the actor. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation involving a conspiracy to assassinate Khan, following an earlier shooting incident outside his Bandra residence in Mumbai on April 14.
The accused, identified as Sukhbir Balbir Singh, alias Sukha, was reportedly an arms supplier who intended to procure weapons from Pakistan for the attack. According to the charge sheet filed by the police, Sukha was offered ₹25 lakh to carry out the attack, which was planned to take place at Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse during a movie shoot or while the actor was leaving the premises.
The plot, however, was thwarted after senior inspector Nitin Thakare received a crucial tip-off about the suspects’ activities. Based on this information, Navi Mumbai police launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of five individuals linked to the conspiracy. Reports by The Indian Express stated that Sukha had been hiding in a hotel in Panipat, where he altered his appearance by growing his hair and beard to avoid detection.
The police have uncovered that 16 to 17 people were involved in the recce operation in Panvel, with some suspects residing in the area since November 2023. In June, four accused with ties to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi were arrested. The individuals arrested include Dhananjay Tapesingh (alias Ajay Kashyap), Gaurav Bhatia (alias Nahvi), Vapsi Khan (alias Waseem Chikna), and Rizwan Khan.
The charge sheet against these five accused details how the conspiracy evolved between August 2023 and April 2024. The plan involved obtaining advanced weaponry from Pakistan, including AK-47s, AK-92s, M16 rifles, and the Turkey-made Zigana pistol, the latter of which had been used in the assassination of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
Navi Mumbai police further revealed that communication between the conspirators took place through a WhatsApp group that included 15 to 16 members, among them Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, Kashyap, Bhatia, and others. Sukha, along with a Pakistan-based arms supplier known as Dogar, had been identified as key figures in arranging the weapons for the plot.
The investigation has shown that heightened surveillance of Salman Khan’s movements had been underway for several months, with approximately 60 to 70 individuals involved in monitoring the actor. These activities were part of a coordinated effort by the Bishnoi gang, which had placed a contract on Khan’s life.
Lawrence Bishnoi has long held a grudge against Salman Khan due to a 1998 incident in which the actor was involved in the killing of blackbucks, a sacred animal for the Bishnoi community. Bishnoi’s gang has been implicated in both the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai cases, adding to concerns over the actor’s safety.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the case, with additional arrests and developments expected as the full scope of the conspiracy becomes clearer.