According to police sources, film director Rajkumar Santhoshi was one of the 15 names in their hitlist.
Acting on a tip off, a Juhu police team led by Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Shinde and Assistant Police Inspector Sahil Nagre busted the six-member gang near Pushpa Garden in Juhu on Saturday night.
"We received information that an armed gang is planning to loot a wine shop on Gul Mohar Road and we swung into action" said Pradeep Shinde.
Police also seized one imported pistol, three country-made revolvers, live cartridges and a mobile phone. Police also recovered a stolen motorcycle, which was being used by the gang members.
Roy Edward Sikkwera, Anthony Sebastian Lobo, Sohail Raja Irani, Amjad Ali Akbar Ali Sheikh, Suraj Ram Nagin Yadav and Raju Banser Mayaje have been charged under the Arms Act and also Indian Penal Code's Sections 401, 402 and 399.
Both Edward Sikkwera and Anthony Lobo are history sheeters wanted in as many as 20 cases of armed robbery and extortion. Sohail Raja Irani is the nephew of gangster Manu Darbadar, who was the right hand man of Chhota
Rajan. Darbadar is now operating from Gulburga district in Karnataka.
"Security has been provided for Rajkumar Santhoshi. As of now we don't know if any other Bollywood personalities were there in their hit list. That will be revealed only after further interrogation." Shinde added.
The confessions of the hired killers have put Mumbai police on a state of high alert. Another police officer attached to Juhu Police Station told rediff.com that it is nothing but a clear-cut indicator that Mumbai underworld is tightening its grip of fear on the film fraternity. Rajkumar Santoshi has some big budget productions set to go on the floors in the coming days.
The arrested gangsters were produced at Andheri Court, which remanded them in police custody earlier during the day.
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