Gurgaon: Gangster Anil Pandit, who is from Haryana’s Panipat and is believed to be operating from abroad, has emerged as a key figure in the probe into firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai. Pandit claimed responsibility for the attack along with Harman Sandhu through a social media post. Police are verifying the authenticity of the claim.For Haryana Special Task Force (STF), Pandit (31) was already on the radar before the Mumbai incident. He is among four foreign-based fugitive gangsters for whom STF has proposed a reward of Rs 10 lakh each as part of its crackdown on criminal networks allegedly being run from abroad. STF had also secured a red-corner notice (RCN) against Pandit in Feb this year in connection with a criminal case.Investigators believe that Pandit has been handling gang operations from the US. The three suspects, including a juvenile, accused of carrying out the firing at Shroff’s car were arrested at Rajasthan’s Kota railway station while travelling from Mumbai to Delhi. The accused include two residents of Haryana’s Sonipat and a 22-year-old man from Bihar who was living in Mumbai. The arrests were made following coordination among Mumbai, Haryana, Rajasthan and Bihar police.Investigators are probing their alleged roles in the firing and the wider conspiracy. Police said key accused Rehan, from Sonipat, was in contact with Pandit. The accused had allegedly planned to flee to Nepal after the attack.The Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate had claimed responsibility after the attack, with a message attributed to Pandit warning members of the film industry associated with actor Salman Khan. Police are examining the post and a voice note linked to the claim.According to police, Pandit has become more active from 2025 and is suspected to be involved in multiple extortion cases, offences under the Arms Act and several firing incidents. Thirteen criminal cases have been registered against him, police said.Pandit, who belongs to Rair Kalan in Panipat, took a different route into organised crime from gangsters who built their networks through street-level violence. Police records and investigators’ accounts have suggested his overseas links became central to his role in the syndicate.According to police, Pandit travelled to Dubai in 2022 in search of employment before entering the US illegally through the “donkey route”. Investigators said he came into contact with another fugitive gangster Randeep Malik, who is also wanted by Haryana Police. The two allegedly began working together in the transport business before getting involved in organised crime.Investigators have linked him to extortion and firing cases across Haryana and other states. Police are also probing how instructions and resources were allegedly routed to local operatives from abroad.“Pandit is trying to make a name for himself quickly by targeting high-profile individuals and extorting wealthy people. We are working to dismantle his network in Haryana and arrest him soon,” a senior Haryana Police officer said.His name had earlier surfaced in connection with firing outside a gym frequented by singer Guru Randhawa in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar in June. Investigators said Pandit had claimed responsibility for that incident as well.“Haryana Police’s RCN and lookout circular (LOC) against Pandit are part of the efforts to trace him beyond India’s borders. Investigators continue to examine his links with shooters and extortion networks operating in the country,” a police officer said.The Mumbai attack has renewed focus on the challenge faced by law enforcement agencies in cases where fugitives allegedly direct criminal activity from outside India. While local shooters can be tracked through CCTV footage, phone records and escape routes, identifying and arresting alleged overseas handlers remains difficult.The other three gangsters on Haryana STF’s list are Himanshu Bhau, Rohit Godara and Randeep Malik. All are accused of running criminal networks in India while operating from abroad.
