MUMBAI: The three persons allegedly involved in the firing at actor Tiger Shroff were brought back to Mumbai from Kota on Wednesday morning and remanded in police custody till Oct 31.Preliminary ballistic reports have suggested the shooters while firing at actor Tiger Shroff used two factory-made firearms which are yet to be recovered. The three accused shooters-Phool Singh (18), Rehan Ansari (18), and Rithik Kumar alias Roshan (22)-who were arrested from Kota were produced before the 37th Metropolitan Magistrate Court which remanded them to police custody till Oct 31.Cops, while seeking police custody of the accused, told the court that the accused have destroyed the mobile phones used in connection with the crime, making the reconstruction of their communications through social media apps a key part of the investigation.Police are attempting to establish contact between the shooters and their alleged handlers, including Shubham Lonkar, through other digital evidence and their interrogation.The shooters had arrived in Mumbai on Sept 20, police said. “So far, investigation suggests the shooters and those who provided logistic support received around Rs 2 lakh, with which they bought a second-hand bike for Rs 25,000. Another Rs 37,000 was transferred in the account of Rehan Ansari. There were some more cash payments which are being ascertained,” said Raj Tilak Roshan, deputy commissioner of police. Investigators are also examining the payments made through UPI applications and cash.Ansari and Singh’s lawyer, Ajinkya Mirgal, argued that the police have already interrogated them in two days’ transit remand and they should be sent to judicial custody.According to the preliminary investigation, Anil Pandit allegedly contacted Sameer, who also allegedly contacted Ansari.Ansari is suspected of having brought together Phool Singh and Rithik Kumar, the two accused alleged to have carried out the firing at Shroff.The five others, including two women, who have been arrested allegedly played roles in procuring, transporting and supplying weapons to the shooters and providing logistical support to the group. One of them, Radha, a bar girl, was a friend of accused Kunal. The duo came to Mumbai along with Babita, another accused. While Kunal left Mumbai the same day, the two women stayed in an Andheri lodge, delivered the weapons, and left later. They are being brought to Mumbai and will be produced before a court on Thursday.Sources associated with the probe suggested the accused monitored Shroff’s movements through social media posts, videos and reels shared by the actor and his fans. The accused had done a survey of this playground in Juhu for 10 days. The shooters had even laid out a plan on Oct 11 but the actor did not turn up.
