Courtroom 55 is Mumbai’s new celebrity-spotting address

For years, the classic celebrity-spotting route in Mumbai ran through Bandra Bandstand, Juhu and Film City. The city’s new star address is far less glamorous: Courtroom 55, on the fifth floor of the city civil and sessions court complex in Kala Ghoda.

Why one courtroom is drawing the crowds

Presided over by special judge Satyanarayan Ramjivan Navandar, the court is hearing a cluster of cases linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi network under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The roster includes the alleged firing outside Salman Khan’s Bandra residence, the alleged firing outside Rohit Shetty’s home, and the murder of politician Baba Siddique, who had close ties to Bollywood’s elite.

If MCOCA is invoked in the alleged attack on Tiger Shroff, that matter could also land in the same room. It was the Salman Khan case that first pulled Courtroom 55 into public view: he is expected to appear as a key witness, along with his brother Arbaaz.

Salman Khan’s long history with this building

Courtroom 55 sits one floor above the courtroom where Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail in the 2002 hit-and-run case; he was later acquitted by the Bombay High Court. Those earlier hearings drew large crowds, and the current MCOCA trial is already reviving that fan energy.

Pranita Fulsagar, a 32-year-old fan from Pune, told The Times of India that she travelled four hours for every earlier hearing and now hopes to see the actor in person again. “I have a book full of his pictures,” she said, adding that she wants him to live a full and happy life.

During the 2015 judgment in the 2002 case, entry was cordoned off and onlookers climbed water pipelines on a building opposite to catch a glimpse through the courtroom window. Court staff fear a repeat when Khan arrives to depose in the current trial.

A courtroom that runs on paperwork

Despite the celebrity backdrop, day-to-day life in Courtroom 55 is strict. Judge Navandar is known for sharp remarks when police procedure slips. Recently, when investigators said they were struggling to get physical custody of Anmol Bishnoi, the judge pulled up the Crime Branch and asked why video conferencing had not been used if transfer orders were stuck in red tape.

The Baba Siddique murder has added a graver tone. Siddique was shot dead outside his son’s office in Bandra East on October 12, 2024, and police have linked the killing to Bishnoi-led organised crime.

For Bollywood watchers, the shift looks like this:

• The sighting route has moved from Bandra, Juhu and Film City to a fifth-floor courtroom.
• Salman Khan is expected to depose as a key witness in the MCOCA case.
• Rohit Shetty, Baba Siddique and possibly Tiger Shroff matters are part of the same cluster.
• The judge’s priority is procedure, not celebrity or gangster notoriety.

Why this matters for Bollywood fans

This is more than a star-sighting story. It maps how the industry’s security concerns are becoming a visible courtroom event. MCOCA cases set a high threshold: they require allegations of organised crime activity, prior offences, continuing unlawful activity and official sanction.

If the Tiger Shroff matter crosses that threshold, Courtroom 55 could become an even bigger fixture on the celebrity beat. For now, the best way to follow the drama is through court dates, witness lists and case orders, not star-spotter tips.

Source: The Times of India

■

#Baba Siddique#Bollywood#Lawrence Bishnoi#MCOCA#Mumbai#Rohit Shetty#Salman Khan#Tiger Shroff