A special MCOCA court on July 22 observed that there was ample prima facie evidence on record to proceed against the accused in the Salman Khan firing case and took cognisance of the 1,736-page chargesheet submitted earlier this month. On April 14, a motorcyclist and a pillion rider fired several rounds at the balcony of the actor’s Band Stand home at Bandra in Bombay and absconded.
The six accused were charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), along with offences under the IPC for attempted murder as well as under the Arms Act and the Bombay Police Act. The police have named five alleged aides of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, viz. Vikas Gupta, Sagar Pal, Harpal Singh alias Harry, Rafiq Choudhary and Sonukumar Bishnoi. Another accused, Anuj Thapan, allegedly committed suicide inside a police lockup in May.
The MCOCA court will hear the matter on August 5.
The chargesheet has alleged that under the guise of seeking revenge on Salman for hunting a black buck in Rajasthan, Lawrence Bishnoi aimed to establish his supremacy in Bombay, particularly over the film industry.