Mumbai Crime Branch Foils Contract Killing Plot; Firearms Seized from Andheri Hotel | Representational Image
Mumbai: A major crime was averted in the city after Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) arrested five men last month from a hotel in Andheri and seized a large cache of firearms. Investigations have now revealed that the accused had arrived in Mumbai with a contract killing assignment, similar to the Baba Siddiqui murder case — where shooters were informed about the target only after arriving in the city.
Sources have informed that each of the five accused was promised a share of ₹10 lakh out of a ₹50 lakh contract. However, the identity of the gangster or gang behind this plot remains unknown. Officials suspect a prominent Mumbai businessman was the intended target, although his name had not been disclosed to the shooters yet, as per the plan.
According to crime branch sources, the accused were instructed to travel to Mumbai armed, rent a room at a hotel, and wait for further orders including the name of their target. However, alert AEC officers, acting on a confidential tip, managed to foil the conspiracy and apprehend all five before the plan could be executed. The source of the tip-off reportedly came from within the department, suggesting a high-level infiltration or surveillance success.
While initial speculations pointed toward the Bishnoi gang’s involvement, officials later ruled that out officially. However, the investigation has confirmed that a notorious gangster had indeed commissioned the plan. The Crime Branch officers have reportedly retrieved crucial digital evidence from the suspects’ mobile phones that could help identify the mastermind.
The arrested individuals Sumit Kumar Dilawar, Vikas Thakur, Devendra Saxena, Shreyansh Yadav, and Vivek Kumar Gupta were found in possession of seven pistols and 21 live cartridges during the raid at Platinum Hotel in Andheri West. Further investigation into the gang’s network and other possible targets is ongoing.
