Rohit Shetty house firing: Main shooter accepted deal to clear debts, drank alcohol to calm nerves before attack

• Shooter took the job due to heavy debts and urgent need for money
• Twelve people arrested so far in the firing case
• Pistol used in the attack sent for forensic testing

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The main shooter in the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu has told police that he agreed to carry out the attack because he was struggling with heavy debts and urgently needed money.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the accused, Deepak Sharma, said during questioning that financial pressure pushed him to accept the offer. Police officials said Sharma admitted that he was nervous before carrying out the crime. He allegedly bought alcohol to calm himself and drank it before going to the filmmaker’s house.

Sharma is the eldest in his family and has younger sisters. A Crime Branch officer involved in the investigation said that one of his sisters was married last year, The Indian Express reported.

To manage the wedding expenses, Sharma mortgaged his house and took a loan. Another sister, who got married three years ago, has allegedly been facing health problems and harassment from her husband and in-laws. She has since returned to live with her parents. Police said Sharma was under severe financial stress and was desperate to repay his debts when he received the offer.

Investigators said the main conspirators in the case, identified as Shubham Lonkar and Arzoo Bishnoi, allegedly contacted Sharma and three others and offered them Rs 3 lakh to open fire outside Shetty’s home. However, the group received only Rs 50,000 as the first instalment. The youths were allegedly influenced by messages portraying the act as a “mission” by “Hindu sainiks” aimed at spreading fear and gaining fame.

The Crime Branch has recovered the pistol used in the firing. Police described it as a sophisticated weapon and said it has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina for ballistic testing.

So far, 12 people have been arrested from Pune, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in connection with the case.

Officials said Sharma and his associate Sunny Kumar had surveyed the area around Shetty’s residence several times before the incident on February 1. According to the report, Sharma reached Mumbai late on January 31 with two others. After drinking, the others stayed back while Sharma went alone to the residence and allegedly fired five rounds.