One of the individuals charged in the shooting incident at actor Salman Khan's residence, Vicky Kumar Gupta, has requested bail from a special court in Mumbai. Gupta, who fired at Khan's Bandra home on April 14, argued that he was motivated by financial difficulties and had no prior criminal record.
In his bail petition, Gupta explained that he was inspired by Lawrence Bishnoi, a jailed gangster known for his admiration of revolutionary Bhagat Singh. Gupta claimed that he was not directly contacted or influenced by Bishnoi, nor did he have any direct involvement with him.
The petition emphasized that Gupta acted under the influence of Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, who is also an accused and currently at large. Gupta stated that Anmol assured him of safety following the crime, which led him to use a low-grade firearm, a "desi katta," rather than a more sophisticated weapon. He also claimed that his actions were meant to threaten Khan rather than cause harm, in protest of Khan’s alleged involvement in the killing of a Blackbuck, a revered animal for the Bishnoi community.
The petition further noted that Gupta's co-accused, Sagarkumar Pal, had previously assisted him financially and helped him secure employment, which motivated Gupta to aid Pal in the incident.
Special Judge BD Shelke has requested the crime branch to respond to Gupta's bail application by August 13.