Dabba calls, ‘Dunkey’ route and a US dream: Inside the Randeep Malik, Anil Pandit network behind Tiger Shroff firing

MUMBAI: The firing at actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai may have exposed a wider network allegedly linking Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s US-based operative Randeep Malik to gangster Anil Pandit, who has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Investigators are probing Malik’s role in the conspiracy, with sources indicating that Pandit and alleged shooter Rehan Ansari had reported to him until a few months ago.

Malik, considered close to Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol, is believed to operate at a senior level within the network, handling planning and target selection, according to sources. Pandit, who allegedly worked under Malik, was recently given an independent role and linked to the faction groomed by Anmol Bishnoi, sources said.

The investigation has also brought into focus the gang’s alleged use of concealed communication systems, international escape routes and promises of a life abroad to recruit young men for criminal assignments.

According to investigators, Pandit had allegedly planned the attack for around two-and-a-half months, recruited three men and transferred Rs 37,000 to Ansari to execute the assignment. Communication allegedly took place through voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) calls.

In underworld parlance, “dabba calls” refer to VoIP-based communication routed through multiple connected phones and speakers at different locations to conceal the caller’s identity and physical location. Sources said Pandit had previously managed such communication arrangements for Malik and was trained by him to handle the network’s covert operations.

Pandit’s alleged rise within the syndicate was also linked to the promise of an overseas future. Sources said he was sent to California through the “Dunkey” route, an illegal migration method, months after the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. His journey was subsequently held out as a success story to younger recruits, including Ansari, sources alleged.

Investigators suspect the promise of money, overseas travel and a better life was used to draw vulnerable youths into the gang’s operations. Ansari, 18, had reportedly studied until Class 9 before dropping out because of financial difficulties. He was learning welding in Gurugram before allegedly joining the network. He had also been named in FIRs linked to motorcycle theft and an Arms Act case in Sonipat, and had spent time in jail, where he allegedly came into contact with hardened criminals.

Ansari’s mother, Shamshida, told the media that her son should be punished if found guilty, but those who allegedly lured him into crime should also be held accountable. She said he had left home around 20 days before the firing after a man promised him Rs 2 lakh and a job.

The three alleged shooters — Ansari, Phool Singh, 18, and Hrithik Roshan, 22 — were arrested aboard the Pune-Jaipur Express in Kota on Monday. They were brought to Mumbai on Wednesday and taken to the Anti-Extortion Cell after a medical examination for interrogation. A court granted police 48-hour transit remand.

The firing took place around 7pm on Sunday, October 18, in Juhu, when Shroff was leaving a football club. He escaped unhurt, while his driver sustained injuries. Investigators said the shooters had monitored the actor’s movements through social media posts, videos and reels shared by him and his fans. They allegedly surveyed the playground for around 10 days and had planned an attempt on October 11, but Shroff did not turn up.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has said Shroff was not the shooters’ original target. According to the agency, they initially intended to target Salman Khan but shifted their focus to Shroff, whom they believed would be easier to reach because of comparatively lower security.

The probe is also examining whether the attack was part of a wider attempt to spread fear in the film industry. The Crime Branch has been asked to review the security of potential targets and prepare a list of Bollywood personalities who may face threats. Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Rohit Shetty, Aamir Khan and Ayush Sharma are among those who have previously received threats.

Separately, Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested four more people — Kunal, 21, Sumit, 19, Radha, 23, and Babita, 23 — in an alleged weapon-supply and logistics module linked to the attack. The court granted Mumbai Police three days’ transit remand for the four.

Investigators allege that Kunal collected a pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition from Amritsar on Pandit’s instructions and persuaded Radha to carry the weapon to Mumbai. Radha and Babita travelled from Delhi on October 15 and reached Dadar on October 17. A minor boy allegedly collected the bag containing the weapon near their hotel. Police are investigating the alleged roles of the accused and their links to the shooters.

The forensic team has recovered seven bullet casings or projectiles reported to have been fired, which have been sent for ballistic examination. The two firearms allegedly used in the attack are yet to be recovered.