Veteran ghazal singer and actor Talat Aziz lost treasured possessions, paintings, musical instruments and other belongings in a fire that broke out at his home on October 2. The blaze gutted the ground floor and parts of the first floor, leaving Aziz and his family hospitalised and facing significant losses.

Now staying at a friend’s apartment, Aziz says the family has begun restoration work and hopes to return home early next year. “Restoration has already begun. Hopefully, by January or February, we hope to move back into our own home. The family has been coping bravely. My wife, Bina Aziz, is a very strong person, and both my sons have also been strong,” he says.

While the loss of paintings and musical instruments has been heartbreaking, the 69-year-old says the family is learning to move on.

“They had a lot of sentimental as well as monetary value, but we have come to terms with it. One has to get on with life, and we are grateful to God that we escaped without any injuries. That is crucial,” says Aziz who played actor Hrithik Roshan’s father in the 2024 film Fighter.

The outpouring of support from well-wishers has also been a source of comfort. “We have received thousands of messages of support from all over the world, as well as from Mumbai and across India. I can never thank people enough. Maybe this was a reset button in our lives for the better. We have faith in the Almighty,” he ends.

Mumbai: BMC on October 12 demolished portions of ongoing work at a bungalow in Juhu after it rejected a reply from the owners, who failed to produce documents establishing that the work had been approved by the civic body. Film actor Ajay Devgn and his mother, Veena Devgn, own the property. The bungalow is located in Kapol Cooperative Housing Society in Juhu.

In a speaking order dated Oct 6, the BMC’s K/West ward office said the owner’s reply, submitted on September 15, did not include any documents proving authorisation for the construction or a copy of the permission granted by the competent authority.

“The civic body had issued a stop-work notice under Section 354A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act on September 10, with regard to unauthorised additions and alterations using Siporex blocks at CTS No. 841, Plot No. 10, Kapol CHS Ltd, on N S Road No. 11, JVPD, Vile Parle (West),” said a civic official in a statement.

The notice directed the owner or occupier to stop the work immediately and submit the relevant permissions within 24 hours. It warned that the unauthorised structure and construction materials could be removed at the owner’s risk and cost if the directions were not complied with. Police were also directed to keep watch at the site and remove persons carrying out the work, if required.

In its speaking order, the BMC said that since the construction was ongoing, the owner was required to possess permission from the competent authority. As no such documents had been furnished, the reply could not be accepted and the work was treated as unauthorised.

A statement from the actor Ajay Devgn’s Office said, “We would like to clarify that the property in question is not Ajay Devgn’s residence, but a separate property that has been rented out. We have applied to the BMC for the requisite permissions in respect of one of our properties and are duly complying with all applicable BMC rules, regulations and guidelines. The necessary changes, alterations and modifications, as required by the BMC, have been carried out.”

Sources said that property where demolition action was carried out by the BMC was to be rented out by the actor to a salon to which the society residents had also raised objections fearing it could open a private society premises to the public at large who would come visiting the salon.

A bike-borne gunman opened fire on actor Tiger Shroff’s vehicle near Pushpa Park in Juhu on Sunday evening, leaving his driver and an autorickshaw driver injured. Shroff, who was leaving the area after playing a football match around 7 pm, escaped unhurt.

Police have formed 15 teams to track down the three unidentified attackers and are investigating an audio message purportedly issued in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claiming responsibility for the shooting.

According to a senior police officer, three men arrived on a motorcycle, with one of them firing four to five rounds at the actor’s vehicle before the assailants fled. The shooter was wearing a white shirt, the officer said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Mohit Garg confirmed that Shroff was not injured in the attack. His driver, identified as Firdous, sustained a bullet injury to his left arm, while the second injured person, Umesh Chauhan, was an autorickshaw driver. Both were taken to hospital for treatment.

Teams from Juhu police and the Mumbai Crime Branch reached the scene and began examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area to identify the suspects and trace their movements. Checkpoints were also set up following the attack. Investigators are working to establish the motive behind the shooting and whether the attackers had specifically targeted Shroff.

The investigation has taken on another dimension after an audio recording circulated on social media, purportedly claiming responsibility for the attack in the names of Anil Pandit and Anmol Bishnoi. The recording alleged that Shroff had been targeted for disregarding an earlier warning and also threatened others in the film industry over their association with actor Salman Khan. Police are verifying the authenticity of the recording.

According to security agency inputs and details emerging from investigations into cases linked to the Bishnoi network, Pandit and Harman Sandhu are suspected coordinating criminal activities from abroad and intimidating businessmen and people in the entertainment industry.

Pandit has been described in agency inputs as a Bishnoi gang operative based in the US. His name has come up in threats and extortion targeting businessmen and celebrities and for working with overseas gangster Randeep Malik and Delhi-based Harry Boxer. Investigators have examined how social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, are allegedly used by members of the network to issue threats, publicize attacks, and circulate claims of responsibility.

Pandit’s name had also surfaced in connection with a firing incident outside Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa’s gym in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar in June 2026. A social media post attributed to him claimed responsibility for the attack, described it as a “trailer” and referred to the singer’s proximity to Salman Khan.

Delhi Police’s Special Cell reportedly arrested two alleged shooters, identified as Haqiqat and Sagar, following an exchange of fire in connection with that case. They were described as operatives linked to Pandit.

Sandhu, also identified in the supplied case details as Hari Gautam, has been described as an alleged associate of the Bishnoi gang’s North American network, who is known to manage logistics and other activities for the bank. His alleged connections have also come under scrutiny in cases involving threats to regional singers and people associated with the film industry, as well as inquiries into firing incidents near residences or vehicles.

For ghazal singer Talat Aziz, Friday, October 2, was like any other day at home. In the evening, he was watching television in the living room of his Juhu duplex apartment, while his wife Bina was upstairs and their sons were in their rooms. Within minutes, however, the family found itself fighting for survival as a fire rapidly engulfed their home.

“I think there was an electric short circuit. And the funny part is that it was one of the ACs that wasn’t even on at that time,” says Aziz.

What followed was a terrifying 15 minutes that he says he will never forget. “I’ve never seen a fire spread so fast. In 15 minutes, the whole house was engulfed in black smoke and raging flames.”

The family had fire extinguishers, but there was little they could do as the flames spread rapidly. Aziz and his sons were on the ground floor, while his wife Bina was trapped upstairs in the bedroom.

“My sons and I could not even go up the stairs to rescue Bina. She was in the bedroom, locked. But then she managed to escape through the bathroom window. My son who was on the ground floor outside, spotted a ladder that had been kept there because construction work was underway in the building. He took the ladder and put it against the wall. Thankfully, it was exactly the right height. Bina managed to squeeze out of the bathroom window and then they brought her down.”

The family eventually made it out, covered in soot and struggling to breathe. “It was a horrifying fire and all of us had a miraculous escape. My sons were running around. We were all black, with the soot all around.”

The ambulance arrived and the family was rushed to hospital. Doctors found that they had inhaled significant amounts of smoke and carbon monoxide and admitted them to the ICU for observation. “They wanted us to be monitored to check if everything was okay and wanted to keep us for another day. But since we were fine, we asked to be discharged on Saturday afternoon.”

The living room and dining area have been completely gutted. Glass, furniture, paintings and belongings were destroyed. “The whole apartment is black and burnt down. I haven’t been able to see everything properly. There are some paintings left upstairs, I think, but I don’t know in what state. Everything is just black and burnt down,” he says.

Yet, amid the devastation, Aziz says he is trying to hold on to what matters most. “Yes, it’s been traumatic. We still have to process it all. We have lost stuff in the fire, but the very fact that we came out alive, that’s important. That’s the biggest. Anything could have happened. It was a major fire. I am still trying to recover. We hadn’t slept the whole night for the last two nights.”

In the middle of the trauma, however, Aziz says he has been deeply moved by the response from friends, neighbours and well-wishers.

“We have been staying at a hotel and on Monday we will temporarily move into a fully furnished four-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz that our friend who is in Hong Kong offered us. They have said we can stay there as long as we need to, till the time everything is sorted out.”

The offers of help have come from across the music fraternity. “The goodwill is amazing,” he says. “Sonu (Sonu Nigam) just called me from New Zealand or Australia, wherever he is. He said, ‘Talat ji, my house is yours, you can come and stay.’ Anup Jalota also called to offer help, while several neighbours invited us into their homes. I am touched by all the love. The outpouring of love and concern is unreal. I’ve got millions of messages. I can’t even reply to all of them. We had not told anyone, but the fire department put out the whole story on Saturday. After it was out in the news, people haven’t stopped texting.”

“From today we are starting the process of cleaning and rebuilding. There’s so much to be cleaned first. Debris has to be taken and thrown out. I have asked the building authorities to conduct a fire audit of the entire building.”

He is grateful for the speed with which emergency services responded. “Everyone has come forward to help and I’m really grateful to all of them. Even the authorities were so quick to respond, which I’m really, really grateful for. The fire department, the police, the ambulance — within 15-20 minutes they were there. The whole building would have been gutted if they didn’t arrive on time.”

Is Allu Arjun moving to Mumbai? Is he staying put in Hyderabad? That’s all the industry has been talking about over the past few days. On April 21, we reported that the South star has decided to divide his time between Hyderabad and Mumbai, making the latter his work base for the next few years (Mumbai meri jaan, Arjun? April 21). And that plan’s already put into action. mid-day did a bit of digging around and found out that the superstar has rented a swanky five-bedroom apartment at Juhu Tara Road. 

Want to know the price tag it comes with? From what we’ve heard, Arjun is shelling out a cool R16 lakh per month, as part of his three-year lease.

Apparently, the actor had a clear caveat when looking for an address in Mumbai — it had to be sea-facing. The upscale building, at Juhu Tara Road junction, ticked that box and more. A source revealed, “Allu Arjun wanted a beach-facing property for his wife Sneha and two children, Allu Ayaan and Allu Arha. The kids will live with him during their school vacations. Spread over 6000 square feet, the apartment in the high-rise comes with a plunge pool and four car parking spaces.”

Over the past year, the actor and his wife visited the property multiple times, overseeing the interior design. The source added, “He wants his home to be a space of tranquility — think lots of greenery and the calming sound of the sea. It should be conducive for his prep, as he will shoot major portions of his next few films, including Raaka and a project with Lokesh Kanagaraj, in Mumbai.” 

Pune: The four people arrested from Dhayari and Karvenagar in connection with the firing at film director Rohit Shetty's house told police that Karvenagar's Shubham Lonkar paid them Rs. 40,000 to arrange the scooter used in the crime in the early hours of Sunday.

"Lonkar is using all his contacts in Pune city for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang," Pune Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Zone III) Sambhaji Kadam told TOI, "We helped the Mumbai police to zero in on five men, but they arrested four of them after conducting an inquiry."

The Mumbai police arrested Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23), Siddharth Deepak Yenpure (19), Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (19) and Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19), all residents of Dhayari and Karvenagar. "Yenpure took the scooter to Mumbai with another person. He bought the scooter from another man in Dhayari, but it was not transferred to his name. Thus, the scooter owner was also taken to Mumbai for probe," Kadam said.

"Yenpure met Lonkar, the prime suspect and a member of the Bishnoi gang, and the latter paid Rs. 40,000 to him and another person for the scooter. Lonkar made an online payment to them. The same scooter was used in the firing at Shetty's residence," he said.

One of the four men arrested from Pune is a peon of a private school. The others did odd jobs like selling vegetables and driving private vehicles. "None of the arrested youths has a crime record," DCP Kadam said.

"Lonkar and his arrested brother ran a dairy in Karvenagar. He is using his Pune contacts to get in touch with youngsters and use them in crimes in Mumbai and other cities. We are searching for Lonkar with the Mumbai police," he said.

The firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu home on Sunday was a result of four months of meticulous planning that involved gangster Shubham Lonkar recruiting hired guns from Pune, arranging a getaway two-wheeler and transferring money to facilitate the operation.

These are some of the details that have emerged from the investigation after the swift arrest of five men accused of carrying out the firing.

However, it has now emerged that the Mumbai Crime Branch had picked up Lonkar for questioning after the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence in 2024, but was let off later due to a lack of conclusive evidence, sources said. Lonkar is suspected to operate from abroad now.

Police sources said on Monday that Lonkar, whose name appeared in a threatening social media post claiming responsibility for Sunday’s firing incident, contacted two of the arrested suspects several months before the incident.

Lonkar reportedly instructed the gang to arrange a motorcycle for the operation and transferred money to them on three occasions to prepare for the preparation. Based on these findings, he has been named an accused in the case.

Sources said investigators have also established that the Facebook post claiming responsibility for the firing was uploaded by Lonkar himself. The post surfaced within minutes of the incident, spread rapidly across social media platforms, and was deleted shortly thereafter – a sequence police said closely matched the Bishnoi gang’s known modus operandi and was used also in the Baba Siddique murder and the Salman Khan firing cases.

The four accused who have been arrested – Swapnil Sakat, Samarth Pomaji, Siddharth Yenpure, and Aditya Gayaki – are residents of Karvenagar in Pune. Sources said Lonkar had earlier used youths from the same locality in the Baba Siddique murder as well, indicating a recurring recruitment pattern and a familiar support network.

Two months before the firing, Sakat and another arrested accused allegedly travelled to Mumbai on the motorcycle they had bought for the crime. Sources said the vehicle was later handed over to the shooter, strengthening suspicions that the Pune-based suspects were involved in providing logistical assistance.

Investigators have questioned Aman Marote, who had sold the motorcycle to the gang. However, he was released after it emerged that he had no prior knowledge about the bike being used in a criminal operation.

Crime Branch sources are further probing Lonkar’s suspected role in managing the Bishnoi gang’s operations along with Aarzu Bishnoi, Goldy Bishnoi, and Harry Boxer, following the reported split of Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar from the Lawrence Bishnoi group.

Investigators believe that after his release in the firing incident outside Salman’s home in 2024, he remained active and played a key role in major crimes, including the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.

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Mumbai: The city crime branch is considering questioning gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in Sabarmati jail, as part of its probe into the firing at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Juhu bungalow to ascertain the motive, even as it is still tracking down the shooter.

Shetty told police he had got no prior threat from Bishnoi's gang or his alleged gang member, Shubham Lonkar. Police are looking into whether Lonkar, who is absconding, acted without Bishnoi's knowledge. "Lonkar, who is from Pune, recruited only locals for the attack. It appears he is trying to assert his presence in Bollywood in the absence of senior gangsters, possibly to revive or expand an extortion network," said a senior police official.

Police said the four accomplices who were arrested within 12 hours of the firing—Swapnil Sakat (23), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Aditya Gaiki (19) and Samarth Pomaji (18)—provided logistical support and acted on Lonkar's directions. One of them is a collegian, while the others are unemployed. A fifth accused, Aman Marote (27) from Pune, has been served a notice. Police are looking for a sixth suspect who has been identified. Those in custody claimed they were unaware of the others' identities, including the shooter.

Marote told police he sold a scooter to Gaiki for Rs 30,000 about a month ago. Gaiki and Pomaji allegedly rode it to Mumbai and left it at a predetermined spot in Juhu, from where the shooter picked it up, fired five rounds at Shetty's residence, abandoned it 2km away, and fled. The probe shows the suspects came in contact with Lonkar on social media and he remotely coordinated the operation, including giving orders on procuring the scooter and its drop locations.

"Our focus is now on tracing the shooter, whose arrest could clarify who assigned the contract and the precise motive," an official said.

A team is tracing the IP address that Lonkar used to log into a Facebook account and claim responsibility for the firing. The post was deleted in a day. Police said there are similarities between the post and those issued after the Salman Khan firing and minister Baba Siddique's murder in 2024.

Another team is also looking into the financial trail based on the payments made to the suspects for the scooter's purchase and related expenses.

(With inputs from V Narayan)

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The Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell has arrested four persons from Pune in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu. Police have also seized the two-wheeler used in the crime.

Investigators have established that the arrested accused were in contact with Shubham Lonkar, a resident of Akola and an alleged member of the Bishnoi gang, who police say masterminded the firing. Lonkar later claimed responsibility for the attack through social media posts.

He is also one of the accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. Police said one of the arrested accused, Swapnil Bandu Sakat, was in direct contact with Lonkar and actively involved in planning the incident.

- Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, unemployed, resident of Vadgaon, Pune. Police say he was in regular contact with Lonkar and helped plan the firing.

- Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 19, a college student and resident of Gulmohar Society, Dhayari, Pune. He allegedly helped arrange money to purchase weapons and the two-wheeler.

- Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 19, a delivery executive and resident of Amrapali Society, Dhayari Phata, Pune. He allegedly helped collect funds and arrange the two-wheeler.

- Aditya Dnyaneshwar Gayaki, 19, a salesman and resident of Karve Nagar, Pune. Police say he purchased the two-wheeler for '30,000 and handed it over to the shooter.

A fifth accused, the shooter, is still absconding. Police teams are conducting searches to trace him.

According to police, Rohit Shetty returned to his residence at Shetty Tower, Juhu, around 10 pm on Saturday. At around 12.45 am, he was on the seventh floor having dinner with his family. Two bodyguards and two police personnel were present as part of his security detail.

CCTV footage showed a man standing outside the building. Security personnel initially mistook the sound of gunshots for firecrackers. However, footage later revealed the man carrying a pistol. Juhu police were alerted immediately, but the shooter fled on a two-wheeler.

Police said the accused reached the Tulip Star Hotel junction, where a police nakabandi was in place. He took a U-turn, rode towards Juhu Church, abandoned the vehicle there, and escaped in an autorickshaw.

During the investigation, police recovered the abandoned two-wheeler near Juhu Church. Details of the vehicle were shared with the Pune Crime Branch, which traced the original owner. The owner told police he had sold the vehicle for Rs 30,000 to Aditya Gayaki.

Police said bank transaction records show that all four accused contributed money for purchasing the vehicle and arranging arms for the shooter.

A police officer said the modus operandi was similar to the earlier firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments, in which the Bishnoi gang had also claimed responsibility. “Shubham Lonkar is the main conspirator in this case,” the officer said.

Shubham Lonkar is a resident of Akola who later shifted to Pune. Police said he was initially involved in farming and dairy-related work in Akola before allegedly entering arms supply networks.

He was arrested by Akola police in January 2024 in a weapons supply case and later released on bail. Lonkar was also named as an accused in the Baba Siddique murder case in October 2024 and was suspected in the earlier firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence.

Police said Lonkar had expressed a desire to join the Indian Army but failed to clear the examination. Investigators claim he later came in contact with Bishnoi gang members in Rajasthan and became associated with the gang. Lonkar and the shooter remain absconding. Further investigation is ongoing.

Violence shook the neighbourhood of Juhu when two assailants, in the small hours of Sunday, fired multiple rounds outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence, Shetty Tower. Following the attack, Mumbai Police beefed up security at the director’s property as it investigated the matter. Now, mid-day has learnt that security will be deployed on the set of his next, Golmaal 5 that is expected to roll soon.

A member of the film’s creative team revealed, “The film was to roll after February 15 in Mumbai. Whether the shoot dates move will now depend on Shetty and clearance from the police.”

For now, there has been no intimation of a date change. However, the insider revealed that a security team of about 60 will be put into place if Shetty reports on the laugh riot’s set on the scheduled date. Apparently, a two-tier  security ring will be implemented — the first comprising the local police, and the second consisting of Shetty’s personal bodyguards.

“More importantly, there will be an access-controlled zone in which Rohit will operate, and only a few will have access to it. Every person entering the set, including junior artistes, vendors, and daily-wage crew, will be pre-registered with ID verification; no spot entries will be allowed. Vehicle movement will also be regulated with all equipment trucks and vanity vans logged in advance and checked at entry point,” said the insider. 

Keeping the filmmaker’s safety in mind, details regarding the shoot timing and locations will be given on a need-to-know basis. The insider added, “The call-sheet circulation will be restricted, and location details will be shared in a staggered manner.” 

Meanwhile, Shetty’s other film, the Rakesh Maria biopic — which had gone on floors in April 2025, with John Abraham stepping into the shoes of the former Mumbai Police Commissioner — has been on hold over the past fortnight. A source revealed to mid-day that the director was in Ooty for a recce until January 30. “Until mid-January, the film was being shot in South Mumbai. Another two weeks’ work is left on it. But now, the remaining shoot will be reconsidered,” said the source. 

Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) as well as All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) condemned the incident. In its statement, citing the earlier attacks on Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and murder of Baba Siddique, the AICWA said, “This pattern reflects a systematic attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation within the film industry.”

Four gang members of the Bishnoi gang were arrested by the police for firing at Bollywood director Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence at 12.42 am on Sunday. The accused, aged between 19 and 27, were arrested by the Pune police following information from their Mumbai counterparts, who tracked them down with the help of their scooter and CCTV cameras.

Police said unknown men arrived in a vehicle and fired five rounds outside the bungalow. One bullet reportedly smashed through the gallery glass. Officers tightened security at Shetty’s residence and seized CCTV footage from the area. Investigators spotted a vehicle in the footage and tracked its movement towards Pune, after which Mumbai Police alerted Pune Police.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the firing outside Rohit Shetty’s Mumbai home, Shetty Tower. In a post, his men said the multiple gunshots were fired as a warning to the Singham director. This was not the first time the gang has targeted celebrities from the Hindi film industry. Past targets include superstar Salman Khan, AP Dhillon, Badshah, Kapil Sharma, and Munawar Faruqui.

A case was registered at Juhu police station, and the Crime Branch took over and formed 12 teams. Since Shetty did not report any earlier threat or complaint, officers said they were checking every angle. Acting on Mumbai Police inputs, Pune Police detained four men and handed them over to Mumbai Police, who brought them to the city on Sunday night and questioned them about their alleged role, the mastermind, and the motive. An officer said police will arrest them if the evidence matched. Those arrested were identified as Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19), Siddharth Deepak Yenpure (20), Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (18), and Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23).

Meanwhile, a threatening message went viral from gang member Shubham Lonkar’s Facebook account, claiming the attack and warning Shetty. The post said this was just a trailer; the next bullets would be in his chest, and that his condition would be worse than Baba Siddique, who was gunned down by the Bishnoi gang in October 2024.

Police sources said technical analysis of the scooter’s movement patterns and related inputs led investigators to the Waraje area of Pune, from where the suspects were taken into custody for questioning. The men, who are said to be working as drivers and mechanics, are suspected to have helped arrange transport, shelter, and escape routes for the attackers.

Mumbai Police are treating the threat linked to the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence as a high-risk organized crime act after investigators found striking similarities with the Bishnoi gang’s earlier modus operandi, sources said.

According to Crime Branch sources, the Bishnoi gang has a consistent pattern of claiming responsibility through social media posts immediately after an attack. The post is then widely circulated, screenshots are taken, and the original social media account is deleted shortly thereafter. This tactic makes it difficult for investigators to trace the original URL or determine the exact location from where the post was uploaded.

Sources said the same method was used during the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence and in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. In both cases, threatening posts were uploaded shortly after the incidents and the accounts were deleted soon after, erasing key digital trails.

In the Shetty case, police found that a threatening Facebook post claiming responsibility surfaced within 45 minutes of the firing and was deleted later, raising red flags. Shubham Lonkar is an unknown destination outside India and is suspected to be the mastermind. Rohit Shetty was on the sixth floor of his tower when the incident took place.

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Mumbai: Police are probing if the firing at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s bungalow could be linked to his upcoming film projects. Shetty shares close ties with senior police officers and is often seen sharing the dais with them during programmes. He recently acquired the rights to former police commissioner Rakesh Maria’s book on the underworld.

Police have increased security around his residence. Police and forensic teams secured the premises to carry out a detailed examination.

The gunman was arrested along with three others from Pune. The four arrested men are: Swapnil Sakat (23), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Aditya Gayaki (19) and Samarth Pomaji (18). One is a college student and the others are unemployed. Police haven’t said who among them is the gunman. A fifth, Aman Marote (27), also from Pune, has been served a notice and will be called for questioning.

The firing was at 12.45 am on the first floor of Shetty Tower, Hasya Kalakar Mehmood Chowk, Juhu.

In a social media post, written in Hindi and English, gangster Shubham Lonkar, an associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, said: “Ram Ram, Jai Bajrang Bali, to all brothers. We, Shubham Lonkar, Aarzoo Bhishnoi, Hari Boxer, and Harman Shandu, take responsibility for the firing that took place today at film director Rohit Shetty's house (Shetty Tower) in Mumbai.”

It said: “We messaged him many times telling him not to interfere in our work, but he didn't understand. We've given him this small trailer. If he doesn't understand our message and doesn't listen to us, then the next bullet won't be fired outside his house, but inside his bedroom, right in his chest. And this is a warning to the entire Bollywood industry: mend your ways while you still have time, otherwise, your situation will be very bad.” Police said they are verifying the claim, given that Shetty is not known to have received threats.

Police said the suspect came on a bike from Pune (from where he left on Saturday), fired five rounds and abandoned his bike 2 km away. “The bike had a Pune registration. The rider was captured on CCTV near Shetty's home.”

The officer said the bike was not stolen and was owned by one of the suspects, and it is in custody of Crime Branch and Anti Extortion Cell. "The bike’s details led us to the suspects.”

The police said Shetty has three guards in the building. "The guards were inside the building, with one visiting the toilet. All rushed out on hearing bullet sounds. The bullets struck the first floor and the wall of the building. Shetty called the police," said a crime branch officer.

Pune is believed to be where the Bishnoi gang plotted the murder of NCP MLA Baba Siddique, in which police had arrested four suspects from Pune’s Karvenagar and Shivane areas, including Pravin, brother of Shubham Lonkar, who ran a dairy in Karvenagar.

A senior crime branch official said no direct link has been found yet between the Juhu firing case suspects and those arrested in the Siddiqui murder, though the angle is under investigation.

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After shots were fired outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments in 2024, a similar firing incident is now reported outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu.

The incident took place around 12.40 am on Sunday at the 10-storey Shetty Tower, located at Hasya Kalakar Mahmood Chowk. An unidentified man allegedly fired five rounds at the building before fleeing the spot. The filmmaker, along with his family, was present at his residence when the firing occurred.

Following the incident, the Mumbai Crime Branch, with assistance from Juhu police and the Pune Crime Branch, detained five suspects from Pune in connection with the case.

According to police sources, the accused had purchased a two-wheeler in Pune a few days earlier. The vehicle was registered in another person’s name. The shooter allegedly conducted reconnaissance of the area and mapped out escape routes prior to the attack.

“At around 12.40 am, the accused arrived on the two-wheeler and parked it two buildings away from Rohit Shetty’s residence. He then walked to the spot and fired five rounds,” a police officer said.

“One bullet struck the safety glass of a balcony, two hit the wall on the first floor, and the remaining two hit the safety wall near the building entrance.” The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed in the building and nearby areas.

After firing, the accused fled on the two-wheeler. However, upon encountering a police nakabandi near the Tulip Star Hotel junction, he made a U-turn and escaped towards Juhu Church. Out of fear of being caught, he abandoned the vehicle near the church and boarded an autorickshaw. When the driver refused to go to Kalyan from Juhu, he was dropped at Juhu Chowpatty. He later changed autos, reached Santacruz station, travelled to Kalyan and eventually escaped to Pune by train, police said.

During the investigation, police examined multiple CCTV cameras but found only blurred footage of the accused parking the two-wheeler. The vehicle was seized from the spot. Using the registration number, police traced the original owner, who revealed that he had recently sold the vehicle to the shooter. Mumbai Crime Branch officials subsequently alerted the Pune Crime Branch, leading to the detention of five suspects from different locations in Pune.

- Aman Anand Marote, 27, resident of Karve Nagar

- Aditya Gnaneshwar Gayaki, 19, Karve Nagar

- Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 20, Dhayari

- Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 18, Dhayari

- Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, Pune district

Police recovered five used bullet cartridges and sent them for forensic examination. Bullet impact marks have also been documented. 

A senior Crime Branch officer said Shetty had not received any threat calls or messages prior to the incident. “There is no record of threats or any ongoing dispute. He was not involved in any controversy. We are still trying to determine why his residence was targeted,” the officer said.

Following the firing, a social media post surfaced claiming responsibility in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police said the post, which also carried threats aimed at the film industry, is currently being verified. No official confirmation has been made so far regarding the authenticity of the claim. 

Investigators are also examining whether the incident could be linked to the recent launch of a book on the Mumbai underworld by former police commissioner Rakesh Maria, an event attended by Shetty and actor Ajay Devgn. Police have not established any direct connection so far.

“This was not an attempt to kill the filmmaker,” a Crime Branch officer said. “It appears to be an act meant to intimidate. The motive behind the firing is still unclear and remains under investigation.”

(L-R) Ranjit Bindra with wife Tina, business partner Shilpa Shetty, and Raj Kundra

After nearly a decade as one of Mumbai’s most popular dining destinations, Bastian Bandra — owned by Shilpa Shetty and Ranjit Bindra — is closing its doors today. The restaurant has been known for its sumptuous seafood, vibrant atmosphere, and Arcane Affair that drew the city’s elite. But the city’s foodies won’t miss their favourite dish from the restaurant for too long because Shetty, on September 3, announced that she would be opening Bastian Beach Club in Juhu.

mid-day has learnt that Juhu’s sea-facing property, Sun-n-Sand Hotel, will house the actor’s newest restaurant. According to insiders, the deal was negotiated in April.

A source from the hotel tells us, “The pool area and one of the restaurants have been cordoned off for a while. On September 1, the area was shut down for guests in the hotel as well. The construction work has begun and will continue till October.”

The plan is to throw open Bastian Beach Club’s doors by November-December, in time for the holiday season. Meanwhile, Bastian At The Top in Dadar will operate as usual.

In her post, the actor and entrepreneur also revealed that the Bandra address would serve as the venue for her latest eatery, Ammakai, which will serve Mangalorean cuisine and will be an ode to her roots.

mid-day reached out to Sun-n-Sand Hotel, which confirmed its association with Bastian Beach Club. 

Actor Varun Dhawan is back to work after he welcomed his baby girl with wife, designer Natasha Dalal. His actioner, Baby John, is lined up for release later this year. In order to accommodate his growing family, Dhawan will move into a new home.

HT City has exclusively learnt the 37-year-old has rented actor Hrithik Roshan’s house in Juhu, Mumbai. 

“Varun and Natasha will be shifting into the sea-facing apartment with their daughter. Hrithik is currently occupying the place and will move to an apartment close by. Dhawan’s neighbours will include (actor) Akshay Kumar and (producer) Sajid Nadiadwala, who reside in the same building,” says a source.

The couple have been living in a Juhu apartment that the actor bought in 2017. 

Sonakshi Sinha is exactly where she wants to be. Behind her, she has a successful web series in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, and ahead are interesting projects, including Kakuda and Karan Rawal’s thriller. Does turning producer figure as the next step in her career? Many of her peers —from Deepika Padukone to Alia Bhatt, from Anushka Sharma to Kriti Sanon—have made the shift. But the actor says she is enjoying the strong roles coming her way too much to turn producer.

“Kussh [Sinha, brother] has his production company,” starts Sonakshi, who fronts Kussh’s maiden offering, Nikita Roy and The Book of Darkness. 

“I am busy as an actor and entrepreneur, with my press-on nails company. My energy goes into both [these channels]. I’m very happy with the offers I’m getting now, I want to pick and choose good work. I don’t have the time to sit and work on scripts with teams to produce projects. If I get into something, I’ll get into it 100 per cent; I can’t do anything half-heartedly,” she smiles.

The actor rules out the possibility of expanding her love for cinema to script writing. “I’m not much of a writer. I like painting and creating art.” When she is not acting, painting or focusing on her business, you’ll find Sonakshi spending her downtime in her Bandra apartment. The actor says she chose the location keeping her actor-father Shatrughan Sinha’s dream in mind.

“My dad used to tell me how he bought his first house in Bandstand. He still has that. So, I always wanted a house in Bandra too. It’s my place to have work meetings and catch up with friends. I still live in Juhu.”

The clock inches toward 5.30 pm and the crowd gets restive. It’s a sultry Sunday evening, beachgoers at Juhu are sipping on tender coconuts, chauffeurs lounging outside bungalows. But this street in suburban Mumbai that hosts Bollywood’s most famous address is bustling with anticipation. Jalsa, true to its name, is preparing for a weekly festival of sound and light. To make the wait bearable, large pedestal fans rotate air gently in the direction of the visitors. Water coolers stand ready to quench their thirst; many have journeyed from remote corners of the country.

Cries of ‘Ganpati bappa morya’ can be heard. It’s an affectionate shout-out to Mumbai’s presiding deity who is considered a remover of obstacles. Cameras are flashing. Suddenly, at a mere suggestion of movement from within, a roar erupts. From behind grand gates, the social media team emerges with cameras to document the moment when real life will intersect with a world of fantasy. Some wave frantically as lenses train to capture the euphoria.

At the appointed time, the traffic halts for the impending spectacle. “It’s a scene reminiscent of ancient kingdoms heralding the arrival of their revered monarch,” says Avnish Ravikanth, a Juhu resident who often strolls by on Sundays to catch a glimpse of the “living legend”. He’s only half joking.

Finally, the gates open, and to the accompaniment of screams, shouts and laughter, Amitabh Bachchan, 81, walks up and climbs a wooden dais. He’s wearing a jacket and looks taller. He smiles, waves with one hand and then the other, greets everyone with a “namaskaar”, points specifically to those at the rear to acknowledge their presence, even gestures that he’s willing to sign autographs later. The moment is fleeting but Pooja Vishnoi, a 28-year-old techie visiting from Jaipur, remembers the experience afterwards as “a whirlwind of admiration and awe”.

Gopal Bhatia, a 56-year-old resident of Kalyan who often escorts relatives visiting from north India to the Sunday darshan, believes that the blend of real-life persona with on-screen characters is what cements Amitabh Bachchan’s status as a superstar even today. A businessman himself, Bhatia can identify with the resilience with which the actor bounced back from bankruptcy after his talent agency-cumevent managing firm, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL), tanked in 1999. It’s a story that’s been told and retold and has a narrative that vindicates the faith of every admirer. “He had creditors at his door. Yet he resurrected his career and reached even greater heights of stardom. How can one not be inspired by such a comeback?” says Bhatia.

Indeed, Bachchan is a man of comebacks, the one who returns to avenge his mother, or fulfil an oath made to a loyal friend, regardless of the price to be paid. The legend of his resurgence begins with a near fatal accident in 1982 on the sets of Coolie. A serious injury in the gut led to an emergency sur gery at St Philomena’s in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) after which he was flown to Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai, where he was declared “clinically dead for a couple of minutes,” in his own words, before doctors managed to revive him with massive doses of steroids. The 81-year-old’s darshans on Sundays began then as a thanksgiving for the blessings of his well-wishers.

This weekly ritual has now woven itself into the social fabric of the city for four decades, a testament to the enduring adoration for an icon. It has no parallel or precedent anywhere: the Marlon Brandos and Clint Eastwoods of Hollywood have never expressed so much gratitude to their fans; Kollywood filmgoers have elected their idols as chief ministers but neither demanded nor received an emotionally transactional relationship; even in Bollywood, at the height of Rajesh Khanna’s fame, the frenzy of fans outside his sea-facing bungalow on Carter Road was rarely reciprocated. Among the present lot, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan wave and blow kisses to the multitudes outside their homes on a special occasion like a birthday, but that’s about it.

Bachchan’s appearances have the air of a social engagement. The gathering includes the Extended Family (EF), as it’s known. Some are familiar faces to him. Prashant Kawadia, a Mumbai suburbanite, who has achieved a milestone of attending over 240 such darshans, says, “Bachchan has a unique way of cherishing and nurturing his admirers, which sets him apart.”

Kawadia has attended several episodes of the quiz show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ anchored by the actor. Years back, when Bachchan hosted a party for ardent fans — he addresses them as “EF” in his blog posts — Kawadia was among the 14 Indian invitees and 10 overseas guests.

According to him, no star possesses the magnetic appeal that his idol exudes — the impact extends to public causes he champions. Born in 1979, Kawadia’s life took a significant turn when he contracted polio as a toddler. Back then in India, children from affluent backgrounds or those in urban areas were among the fortunate ones to receive a vaccine. In 2002, during a surge in polio incidence, Bachchan became brand ambassador for the “Do Boondh Zindagi Ki” campaign that played a pivotal role in eradicating the disease in India. “Since 2011, no babies have been born with polio — a remarkable accomplishment. What greater gift can a star offer to the world?” says Kawadia.

If those regaled by the actor’s charisma in the dark of an auditorium or the solitude of their homes feel a sense of kinship, Bachchan relates to them just as much. In May 2023, the actor shared thoughts on how he would hurry back from work to be present at the gates of Jalsa (GOJ) at the chosen hour. “Rush rush rush .. !! Rush through the work and the day to be presentable at the GOJ .. and made it in enough time to be at the box .. and to greet and send the love for the well-wishers of the Sunday.”

There is even an occasional lament when fewer people show up. Post-Covid, the star wrote, “I do observe though that the numbers are in lesser magnitude and the enthusiasm has lessened and the screams of joy now transferred to the mobile camera .. and that is more evident now an indication that time has moved on and nothing lasts forever.” It seemed as much a comment on the transient nature of stardom.

What could Pooja Vishnoi, 28-yearold techie from Jaipur, S K Marvada, middle-aged painter from Bhuj, Belgian-born chartered accountant Sonia Saharan, and Lekhraj Kasabh, labourer from Pathankot, possibly have in common? They represent a cross-section of weekly visitors at the gates of Jalsa. Evidently, the shape-shifting nature of Bachchan’s craft speaks to a diverse and multi-generational audience.

While older generations continue to relish classics like Sholay, Namak Haram, and Namak Halal, the more recent Piku, Pink, Wazir, and Paa captivate millennials. With more than 200 movies, numerous songs, overseas concerts, public awareness campaigns, brand advertisements and the KBC TV quiz show which he has hosted non-stop since 2000 (barring a season in 2007 done by Shah Rukh Khan), it’s a career that can be feted for its longevity alone: he has been in business since 1969 when he lent his baritone to Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome.

His powers of reinvention and his ability to discern changing tastes are spoken of by collaborators. He knew the Angry Young Man that he played repeatedly was a thing of the past by the mid-90s; it was replaced by a more realistic, restrained and sometimes magisterial presence. Vishnoi, the techie from Jaipur whose favourite films are Pink and Piku, says, “The love for Bachchan spans generations in my family. It’s a shared passion that I can discuss with my parents. Sometimes, my father even reenacts his iconic scenes.” She had carved out time from her work schedule to visit Jalsa during a brief three-day stint in Mumbai.

Others have travelled across the globe. A quartet of friends from Belgium, Holland and Suriname have come with a large banner that reads, “Autograph please. We are here from Belgium.” Sonia Saharan says the allure of Bachchan was something she experienced growing up in Belgium. Saharan and her Dutch friend, Sharmila Mitrasing, recall their families going to great lengths to source video cassettes and DVDs of his blockbusters. “His films are wholesome. There’s always a lesson to be learned.”

Finally, when the moment arrives and Bachchan appears with folded hands, the feeling it evokes in many is the nostalgia of a bygone era when movies like Khuda Gawah, Hum, and Agneepath captivated them with larger-than-life narratives and charismatic performances. An overwhelmed Lekhraj bows down. It is the end of his journey.

Dressed in a suit with a woollen scarf and polished shoes, ‘Jai Amitabh Bachchan’ tattooed on his forearm, this tempo driver from Pathankot had travelled to Mumbai weeks ago to meet “tauji (father’s elder brother)”. He even took on odd jobs on construction sites and restaurants in the city to sustain himself because Bachchan had failed to turn up for two Sundays in a row due to travel commitments. “I have seen all his movies, some of them more than 50 times.”

He is carrying albums with pictures of the actor and letters written by him. There are photos of every October 11 celebration when he ordered cakes to mark the actor’s birthday. “Not only has he written back to me, but also sent photo frames of his family. Which superstar would go to the extent of doing that?” He cries, squats on the floor and after the crowd disperses, he moves towards the gates of Jalsa to touch his head to the ground.

The finale is, of course, provided by Bachchan himself later. Offerings from fans like Lekhraj are signed and returned, to show he cares. There’s a line immortalised by the superstar – “Mard ko dard nahi hota”. In Bachchan’s case, nothing would be further from the truth. He has doubts about whether fans will turn up next Sunday. “Will they .. won’t they .. ? The eternal question mark before the GOJ,” he said once in a blog. “That Chaplin question .. the presence at the Academy Awards for a Lifetime Achievement presentation for him, after returning to USA, from a sort of exile, being labelled a Communist, which was a misnomer .. and the ask as he stands backstage to be brought on and decorated ..‘will they clap for me ..’?

(Text from Amitabh Bachchan’s tweets and blog posts has been reproduced unedited)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has allegedly attached properties belonging to Raj Kundra and his wife, actress Shilpa Shetty, worth about Rs 97.79 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Bitcoin investment fraud case. According to ED sources, the attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu, currently registered under Shilpa’s name, a residential bungalow in Pune, and equity shares in Kundra’s name all worth about Rs 97.79 crore.

Kundra, who spent two months in jail in connection with a pornography case, was granted bail in September 2021. The latest action by the ED is part of a money laundering case filed against Kundra based on multiple FIRs registered by Maharashtra and Delhi Police against M/s Variable Tech Pvt Ltd, including Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simp Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and several multi-level marketing agents.

The FIRs allege that the accused collected significant funds in Bitcoins, approximately worth Rs 6,600 crore, from the public with false promises of a 10 per cent monthly return in Bitcoins.

According to ED sources, Kundra received 285 Bitcoin from Amit, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. These Bitcoins were sourced from proceeds of crime collected by Amit from unsuspecting investors.

Despite the deal falling through, Kundra did not return the 285 Bitcoins, presently valued at over Rs. 150 crores. Earlier search operations led to the arrest of three individuals—Simpy Bhardwaj, Nitin Gaur, and Nikhil Mahajan—who are currently in judicial custody. The main accused, Ajay and Mahendra, are still evading law enforcement. This marks the second attachment in the case, with earlier properties worth Rs. 69 crores being attached by the ED.

Mumbai girl Nushrratt Bharuccha just can’t get enough of the city. The actress, who has lived most of her life in Juhu, says, “I am a true Mumbaikar!” Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the Chhorii actress who loves to spend time by the sea and hop on to Mumbai’s local rides (metro and auto-rickshaws) talks about her love for the city that “made her who she is today.”

Sharing some of the best memories of growing up in a bustling city like Mumbai, Nushrratt says, “I studied at Jai Hind College, and I have always enjoyed sitting by the seaside promenade and watching the waves crash into the rocks.”

Nushrratt says, “I guess my love affair with Mumbai started there. I live in Juhu, and I remember watching my dad dipping into the waters of the beach when I was a kid. I also love going to Mount Mary Church (in Bandra) to light a candle and pray. One of my fun activities is to ride horses at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, which I have done a few times.”

Mumbai is known for its local trains, which keep Mumbaikars connected across the length and breadth of the city. Nushrratt, too, has a special connect with Mumbai locals. “I like the sounds of trains. While growing up, whenever I was upset, I’d just go to the Santacruz railway station, hop on to a Churchgate-bound train, and take the same train back to Santacruz. In the two-hour ride, I’d think about things and calm myself down,” she shares.

Another place that holds a special place in her heart is Navy Nagar, Colaba. “Whenever my friend and I felt that things were not going right in life, we would visit R C Church in Colaba. We’d take the BEST bus till there, then sit at the church peacefully without talking to each other.”

Veteran actor Tanuja — mother to actor Kajol and mother-in-law of actor Ajay Devgn — has been admitted to a Mumbai hospital on Sunday evening. Sources said the 80-year-old actor has been admitted due to age-related illness and is under observation at the ICU of a hospital in the city’s Juhu.

“She is under observation and is doing well. There’s nothing to worry about,” a PTI report said.

Daughter of filmmaker Kumarsen Samarth and actress Shobhna Samarth, Tanuja has worked extensively in Hindi and Bengali cinema. She married filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee; and have two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanisha.

She started her film career with her elder sister Nutan in Hamari Beti (1950) as a child actor. As a leading lady, her first film was Hamari Yaad Aayegi (1961). She went onto star in Baharein Phir Bhi Ayengi (1966), Jewel Thief (1969), Paisa Ya Pyaar (1969), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) and Mere Jeevan Sathi (1972).

In Bengali cinema, she worked in films such as Deya Neya (1963), Anthony-Firingee (1967), Teen Bhuvaner Parey (1969) and Rajkumari (1970), among many others.

Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, renowned figures in Bollywood, have gifted their lavish bungalow, Pratiksha, in plush Juhu locality of Mumbai to their daughter Shweta Nanda.

The transfer of ownership was formalized through two distinct gift deeds, each corresponding to a specific plot on which the bungalow stands.

The deeds for the bungalow spread over a total 16,840 sq ft were executed on November 8th and registered the next day.

The Bachchan family has paid a total stamp duty worth Rs 50.65 lakh for both the gift deeds, showed the documents accessed through Zapkey.com. The market value of the bungalow is shown as over Rs 50.63 crore.

As per the current regulations, a residential property gifted by father to either daughter or son in Mumbai attracts stamp duty of nominal Rs 200 along with metro cess of 1% per deed.

One of the two plots the bungalow is built on is spread over 9,585 sq ft and was jointly owned by Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, while the other plot spread over 7,255 sq ft was owned by Amitabh alone.

ET’s email query and text message to Amitabh Bachchan's team remained unanswered until the time of going to press.

The Bachchan family owns several properties in Mumbai including bungalows Jalsa, Pratiksha, and Janak in Juhu.

Recently, Amitabh Bachchan bought four offices spread over nearly 8,400 square feet in a commercial project in Oshiwara locality of Mumbai’s Andheri suburb for nearly Rs 29 crore.

Several Bollywood actors, producers and directors including Bachchan himself, Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai have invested in properties.

Many deals of high-end luxury properties acquired by Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherji, Alia Bhat, Disha Patani and Janhvi Kapoor have also been reported in the last few quarters.

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Mumbai: Bank Of Baroda on Monday cancelled the auction of actor MP Sunny Deol’s Juhu property scheduled for September 25, citing technical reasons. The bank’s statement comes just a day after it invited bids for the 600 square metre plot at a reserve price of Rs 51 crore. Sunny Villa, which houses the actor’s company Sunny Sound and other post-production facilities, is on the property.

The bank highlighted two primary reasons for the cancellation. First, the total dues were not explicitly specified. Second, the sale notice was based on the symbolic possession of the property, following Rule 8(6) of the Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules 2002. This rule requires lenders to provide a 30-day notice, allowing borrowers an opportunity to repay their debt.

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Mumbai: Bank Of Baroda has scrapped the scheduled auction of actor Sunny Deol’s Juhu plot. The bank explained that the actor had taken steps to settle the dues, which is permissible as borrowers have the right to redeem the security by paying the outstanding amount at any time before the sale of the security.

Typically, while taking action against defaulters, lenders assume “symbolic possession” of the borrower’s assets to indicate their intent to sell, and communicate to the public that the bank is interested in the property, requiring its permission for any sale. To conclude the sale, the bank must physically possess the property, allowing potential buyers to inspect it.

The bank disclosed that it had applied for physical possession of the property through an application to the chief metropolitan magistrate on August 1, 2023, and is awaiting permission.

“Since the unit is running as conveyed to us by the borrower, sale action will be initiated as per the provisions of the SARFAESI Act, once the physical possession is taken,” Bank Of Baroda said.

According to banking experts, taking symbolic possession and issuing a sale notice is generally employed to pressure borrowers into repayment if they have the means.

Deol has been representing Gurdaspur constituency of Punjab in the Lok Sabha since 2019 when he won the election against Congress’s Sunil Jhakar. The seat was earlier represented by another actor, Vinod Khanna (also from the BJP), for long.

The matter sparked a political row, with the opposition Congress raising questions about Bank Of Baroda withdrawing the e-auction notice. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Yesterday afternoon the nation got to know that Bank of Baroda had put up the Juhu residence of BJP MP Sunny Deol for e-auction since he has not paid up Rs 56 crore owed to the bank. This morning, in less than 24 hours, the nation has got to know that the Bank of Baroda has withdrawn the auction notice due to ‘technical reason’. Wonder who triggered these ‘technical reasons’?”

Mumbai: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has put up a Juhu plot for e-auction over a Rs 56 crore loan default by actor Sunny Deol. Sunny Sounds Private Ltd, a company floated by Deol, which owns the dubbing and recording studio, has been named as a corporate guarantor. The property also houses a preview theatre and post-production facilities.

According to banking sources, the Deols had taken a film-financing loan in 2015-16, during the production of Ghayal Once Again, which was a sequel to Sunny’s hit ’90s movie. The movie was produced under the banner of Vijayta Films Pvt Ltd of which Sunny and his brother Bobby are directors. The movie is understood to have a budget of Rs 50 crore, but the collections fell short.

BoB is understood to have classified its loan as a nonperforming asset towards the end of 2022. It is, however, not clear whether the loan referred to by BoB in its notice is the same loan, said banking sources.

It is not unusual for banks to issue notices under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002, which allows them to possess and sell properties of defaulters. A senior public sector banker said that SARFAESI notices are issued only after the loan is classified as a non-performing asset; in other words, the borrower has not paid for 90 days after the due date.

The notice to Sunny, who is also a BJP member of Parliament representing Gurdaspur constituency, has drawn attention because the actor recently starred in a sequel to his two-decade-old movie Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. Given that Gadar 2 has done well at the box office, bankers said it is likely that the Deols would come forward for a settlement.

While it has been over two decades since film-making was classified as an industry under the IDBI Act, lenders are still wary over lending to film projects because of the completion risks. Most of the financing is undertaken without completion risks, but they are still exposed to market risks since often the returns are linked to box-office collections.

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