A special court in Mumbai has refused bail to Sonu Chander alias Sonukumar Bishnoi, an alleged Lawrence Bishnoi gang member, in connection with the firing at actor Salman Khan's residence last year. The court stated that the accused cannot escape MCOCA provisions merely because there are no criminal antecedents against him.

The bail plea of Chander was rejected by Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) Judge Mahesh Jadhav on Friday, with details made available on Monday.

The special court held that evidence clearly demonstrates Chander, along with other accused and the leader of the Bishnoi gang, hatched the conspiracy to kill the victim. As per the relevant provisions of the Act, it is the membership of an organized crime syndicate that makes a person liable under MCOCA, the court observed.