Tiger Shroff Firing Case: 3 Suspects Remanded to Police Custody Until October 28
Mumbai court remands three suspects in the Tiger Shroff attempt to murder case to police custody until October 28 for further investigation.
The Esplanade Court in Mumbai has remanded three arrested suspects in the high-profile Tiger Shroff attempt to murder case to police custody until October 28. The three individuals, identified as Ankit Khattar, Samir Khatri, and Jatin Panchal, were apprehended by the police from Sonipat, Haryana, and produced before the court for remand.
The Prosecution's Case: A Calculated Conspiracy
The Investigating Officer (IO) presented a detailed breakdown of the roles played by the suspects. According to the police, the crime was not a random act but a calculated conspiracy. The IO stated that Ankit Khattar had specifically travelled to Mumbai to conduct a recce of the area, while Samir Khatri was allegedly in direct contact with one Anil Pandit.
Jatin Panchal's role, the police claim, was the sole provider of the weapons used by Ankit and Samir. The prosecution, represented by Public Prosecutor Kranti Kumbhar, pushed for a longer remand until October 31, arguing that the inter-state nature of the case requires a thorough investigation. Kumbhar noted that several wanted individuals, including Anil Pandit, are currently outside Maharashtra, necessitating a time-consuming process of coordination with other states.
Technical Evidence and Practice Sessions
The prosecution further informed the court that they have gathered substantial technical evidence. This includes CCTV footage from the crime scene and from a hotel where the police allege the suspects held a "practice firing session." The hotel register and CCTV recordings showing movements before and after the incident have also been seized.
"As we all know, it is a case of conspiracy and conspiracy is hatched in secrecy, so this needs to be investigated in detail," the Public Prosecutor argued.
The Defence's Counter: Questioning the Evidence
TheDefence counsel, Advocate Ajinkya Mirgal, strongly opposed the police remand, arguing that the police had already completed all necessary recoveries. Mirgal questioned the legitimacy of the police claims, claiming that that the police's own submissions showed the hotel registers and CCTV footage had already been recovered.
The defence lawyer further challenged the police on the weapon recovery. He argued that despite approximately ten arrests in the case, the police have yet to recover the weapon used in the shooting. This, according to Mirgal, suggests that the weapon may not even exist.
Digital Forensic Challenges
TheDefenceDefence counsel also addressed the police's claim regarding phone contacts with Anil Pandit. Mirgal argued that since the mobile phones of the since the mobile phones of the accused have already been seized, forensic experts can independently verify call detail records (CDR) without the need for custodial interrogation.
Furthermore, he argued that transporting the accused from Sonipat to Mumbai within 48 hours and then taking them back to Sonipat until October 31 was unwarranted.
Court's Decision
The Esplanade Court, after hearing both arguments, decided to grant police custody of Ankit Khattar, Samir Khatri, and Jatin Panchal until October 28. During the proceedings, the court also ensured the rights of the accused, asking if they had any complaints against the police. All three suspects replied in the negative.
The court also permitted the defence counsel to have a brief five-minute consultation with his clients inside the courtroom to seek instructions and regarding the matter and directed the police to allow the suspects to contact their families.