"Salman Khan Firing Case: Accused Influenced by Lawrence Bishnoi, Gunshots Fired to Warn"

SALMAN KKHAN FIRING CASE

It's been over three months since India woke up to the shocking news of gunshots fired at Salman Khan's residence in Bandra, Mumbai, on April 14. The superstar later recorded his statement, claiming that Lawrence Bishnoi's gang was behind the incident. In the latest development, an accused has claimed he was influenced by Bishnoi. Vicky Gupta, one of the accused, filed a bail plea before a special court set up under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA Act) in Mumbai on Monday. Gupta stated in his plea that he was inspired by the "principles" that Lawrence Bishnoi follows in his life, according to PTI. 

The accused alleged that Bishnoi, currently in Sabarmati jail, has been wrongly implicated in the case and had no role in the firing incident.

Gupta further claimed that the gunshots were fired solely to "give apprehension" to Salman Khan over his 1998 blackbuck poaching case. He asserted he did not receive any call from Lawrence Bishnoi.

The shooter explained he hails from a remote village in Bihar and lost his job in Tamil Nadu during the COVID-19 pandemic, after which he contacted co-accused Sagar Pal.

Gupta stated that he was debt-ridden, which "compelled the applicant to commit the crime." He reportedly emphasized there was no intention to harm Khan in the firing incident. According to Indian Express, the bail plea filed through lawyers Amit Mishra and Pankaj Ghildiyal mentioned that Gupta was influenced by Lawrence Bishnoi's social media and felt "magnetically attached" to Bishnoi's principles, describing Bishnoi as an "ardent follower of Mr. Bhagat Singh."

The plea stated that co-accused Sagar had informed Gupta to visit Mumbai for an "auspicious religious mission." Desperate for money to feed his family, Gupta came to the city. The plea further stated that he had no "clue about the alleged incident" until April 13.

In July, the Mumbai Crime Branch filed a 1,735-page chargesheet, a copy of which was accessed by India Today. According to the chargesheet, Salman recorded a detailed statement about the incident, stating he heard a cracker-like sound when two gunmen fired shots at his Galaxy Apartment in Bandra. The 58-year-old actor later confirmed the firing with his guards in the morning. He acknowledged Lawrence Bishnoi's involvement, stating that the gangster had carried out the firing with the help of his gang members.

The superstar expressed concern for his family members who were sleeping during the incident, adding that the shooters were "planning to kill" him and his family, and had thus planned and executed the attack.

Both accused were arrested in Gujarat for the alleged shooting at Salman's residence.

On the work front, Salman Khan is gearing up for his upcoming film, Sikandar. Directed by AR Murgadoss, the film will be released on Eid 2025. It is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. He was last seen in Tiger 3.