Lawrence Bishnoi tried to kill me: Salman Khan

Actor Salman Khan said that he believed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi carried out the firing outside his home to kill him and his family. His statement, recorded by the anti-extortion cell of Mumbai Crime Branch last month, is part of the chargesheet that the police filed earlier this month.

In the chargesheet, Salman Khan shared details of threats he and his family have been receiving from Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang members for years. He also said that he had asked his family members and relatives to be "alert at all times".  

In the statement, the actor said that the firing incident happened in the early hours of April 14 when he was sleeping. "I heard a cracker-like sound. Then, at around 4.55 am, the police bodyguard said that two people on a bike had fired from a weapon at the Galaxy Apartment's first-floor balcony. There had been attempts to hurt me and my family prior to this as well. I have learned that Lawrence Bishnoi has taken responsibility for the attack on social media. So, I believe that it is the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who have carried out the firing on my balcony," the statement read.

Salman Khan and his brother Arbaaz Khan's statements were recorded by a four-member crime branch team on June 4. An official said that while the actor's statement was recorded for nearly four hours, his brother's was recorded for over two hours.

On April 14, two bike-borne men fired multiple rounds outside Salman Khan's residence. Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, alleged shooters involved in the incident, were subsequently arrested from Gujarat. As many as six people were arrested in the case, with one of them, Anuj Thapan, hanging himself in police custody on May 1.

The police have registered a case against 17 people, including Lawrence Bishnoi and his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, in connection with the firing incident. Lawrence Bishnoi is presently lodged in Ahmedabad's Sabarmati prison.