Navi Mumbai police on Sunday arrested a man from Haryana's Bhiwani in connection with a plot to attack actor Salman Khan, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to five. The arrested man, Deepak Hawasingh Gogalia, also known as Jonny Walmiki (30), was reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldie Brar gangs, according to the police.
Gogalia had allegedly provided accommodation, logistical, and vehicle support for the other accused. He was in touch with them through video calls.
Navi Mumbai police, in an official release, stated that Gogalia was arrested on Saturday with the help of Bhiwani SP Varun Singhala. The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch team traveled to Haryana for the arrest. Gogalia was produced before a magistrate in Bhiwani on Sunday, who granted the police transit remand until June 5. He was being brought to Panvel.
The investigation into the plot to harm Salman Khan began last year. In September-October, Panvel Police received a tip-off about the conspiracy and arrested four persons. The investigation included infiltrating social media groups associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 11), Panvel, Vivek Pansare, told PTI that senior inspector Nitin Thackeray of Panvel police station received information about the plot. The investigation revealed that four gang members had reconnoitered Salman Khan's farmhouse in Panvel, his residence in Bandra, and locations where he was shooting films.
In April, a case was registered against 17 persons, including Lawrence Bishnoi and his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi. Among those arrested were Dhananjay Tapesingh, alias Ajay Kashyap (28), from Panvel, and Gaurav Bhatia, alias Sandeep Bishnoi, from Gujarat on April 28. Vaspi Khan, alias Waseem Chikna, was apprehended from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Rizwan Khan, alias Javed Khan, was arrested in Bangalore.
The suspects were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including 120-B (conspiracy) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Lawrence Bishnoi is currently in Sabarmati Central Prison in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, while Anmol Bishnoi is believed to be in the US or Canada.
On April 14, two bike-borne men fired multiple rounds outside Salman Khan's home, Galaxy Appartments, in Bandra, Mumbai. The shooters, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, were arrested in Gujarat. Their associates, Sonu Bishnoi and Anuj Thapan, who allegedly committed suicide in police custody on May 1.