The MCOCA court has denied bail to Vicky Gupta, one of the accused in the shooting outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra. The court concluded that the accused had come with the intention to kill the actor. This judgment has raised concerns that if Vicky Gupta is released, he could potentially commit similar crimes in the future.
The Shooting Incident Outside Salman Khan’s Home
The incident occurred early in the morning after Eid, around 5 am, when two attackers on a bike fired four shots outside Salman Khan’s Bandra home, Galaxy Apartment. At the time, the actor was inside his house. After the shooting, the attackers, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, were arrested from Gujarat. Additional arrests followed, including Anuj Thapan and another suspect from Punjab.
Court’s Verdict: Clear Intent to Murder Salman Khan
The MCOCA court, while rejecting Vicky Gupta’s bail plea, emphasized that the accused fired shots near a spot where Salman Khan frequently stands on his balcony to greet fans. The court pointed out that this detail was included in the FIR filed by Salman Khan after the attack. It was concluded that the accused came to the location with a clear intent to murder the actor. The court was firm in its decision, expressing concern that granting bail could lead to further dangerous incidents.
Accused’s Defense: Denies Intent to Harm
In his defense, Vicky Gupta claimed that he was only the rider of the bike and had no intention of harming Salman Khan. According to him, the actual shooter was sitting behind him, and he had no knowledge of the plan. He stated that he was merely caught in the wrong situation and that it was unfair to keep him in custody for a crime he did not directly commit.
Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Behind the Attack
The responsibility for the shooting at Salman Khan’s residence was claimed by Anmol Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in jail. This incident is part of a larger pattern of attacks connected to the Bishnoi gang. Earlier, a shooting took place outside the house of singer AP Dhillon, who had worked with Salman Khan in a music video. More recently, Baba Siddiqui, a close associate of Salman, was shot dead in Mumbai, with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang taking responsibility for this attack as well. The gang has issued warnings that anyone helping Salman Khan will not be spared.
Why is Lawrence Bishnoi After Salman Khan?
The hostility between Lawrence Bishnoi and Salman Khan dates back to a 1998 incident during the shooting of the film Hum Saath Saath Hain in Rajasthan. It is alleged that Salman, along with Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu, and Neelam Kothari, went hunting and killed a blackbuck, an animal revered by the Bishnoi community. The community filed a complaint, and Salman was later sentenced to five years in prison by a Jodhpur court. Though he was granted bail, the Bishnoi community has never forgiven the actor, and Lawrence Bishnoi has made it his mission to seek an apology from Salman Khan to the entire community.
