Mumbai, Nov 6 A special MCOCA court here on Friday directed the police to probe the claim made by an alleged shooter held in the Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff firing case that he was a minor, and extended till November 11 his and four others’ police custody.
The court sought to know why neither the accused nor his advocate made a statement about his juvenility when he was produced in courts on previous occasions, and declined the prayer for sending him to a juvenile home saying there was a possibility that it was raised to avoid his custodial interrogation.
The police produced 12 accused, including the shooter, Phool Singh, at the end of their remand on Friday before the special court judge S Navandar.
The court extended the remand of Singh and four others as sought by the police, while the rest of the accused were sent to judicial custody.
During the hearing, Singh’s advocates Sidhanth Mor and Divyam Gaur, moved a plea stating that he was approximately 17 years and 10 months old when the incident occurred on October 18.
To support his claim of juvenility, Singh annexed copies of his birth certificate issued by the competent authority in Haryana and his Aadhaar card.
The advocates urged the court to order an enquiry into the claim and pleaded that the accused be sent to protective custody (under the Juvenile Justice Act) until then.
When the court asked the accused why he did not bring the facts before the court either through his lawyer or in person, Singh replied, “Police ne mana kia tha (police had asked him not to do so).”
Stating that Singh was arrested on October 19 at Sonipat in Haryana, the judge noted that he was first produced before a magistrate in Sonipat for a transit remand, following which, he was presented before additional chief judicial magistrate (Esplanade court) and lastly before the present court.
“He was produced before court on three occasions for remand, and was duly represented by advocate,” the court added.
The judge remarked that on none of these occasions either the accused or his advocate made a statement that he was a minor at the time of incident.
When a claim is made, it is necessary to direct an inquiry, the court said.
It directed the investigating officer to conduct a probe and submit a report within 15 days.
The court, however, said it was not inclined to accept the prayer for sending the accused to a juvenile home due to non disclosure and possibility of avoiding investigation.
Two shooters fired five rounds at Shroff’s car as he was leaving a football ground in Juhu area of Mumbai on October 18. While the 36-year-old ‘Baaghi’ actor escaped largely unhurt, his car driver and a bystander, who is a vlogger, were injured.
Members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the firing.
Police have named jailed gangster Bishnoi’s aide Anil Pandit as a wanted accused in the case.
(PTI News)
