Baba Siddique murder: All about suspected shooters, conspirators, handler

The three suspects who have been arrested for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique have reportedly claimed that they work for the gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is incarcerated in the Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.

They were monitoring Siddique’s movements for months, and conducted reconnaissance of his residence and office. The police revealed that they were paid an advance of Rs 50,000 each for the hit, and were provided with the weapons only days before the assassination.

The ‘handler’ – still at large

The fourth person allegedly involved in the murder hails from Jalandhar in Punjab, said the police. According to sources in the police, Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar was arrested by the local police two years ago and met members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Patiala jail where he was supposedly given instructions to murder Siddique. He went to Mumbai after he was released from prison.

Akhtar was a resident of Shakar village in Nakodar, Jalandhar. He was arrested in 2022 in a case of organised crime, murder and robbery.

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Three shooters were allegedly involved in carrying out the murder and Akhtar was their handler. He gave them information about Siddique’s location, arranged for a room for them to stay in, and other logistical support.

Akhtar is said to be still hiding somewhere in Mumbai. Multiple teams have been formed to locate him.

Third person arrested – ‘co-conspirator’

The Mumbai police have arrested a 28-year-old man from Pune who, along with his brother, allegedly “enlisted” two of the three alleged shooters in the Baba Siddique murder case, an official said. Police called the man Pravin Lonkar a “co-conspirator” and said they are on the lookout for his brother Shubham Lonkar. This is the third arrest in the case of Siddique's murder.

The official told news agency PTI that police went to Pune looking for Shubham Lonkar but did not find him there. They then nabbed his brother Pravin for his alleged involvement in the crime, he said.

Also Read: What transpired on the night of Baba Siddique's killing? Police reveal chilling details

Shubham posted on social media claiming responsibility for the murder on behalf of the gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, but later deleted the post. Shubham was also involved in the Nirmal Nagar firing case.

The Lonkar brothers hatched the conspiracy of killing Siddique and enlisted Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam in the plot, the official said.

Two shooters held, one on the run

A crime branch official on Sunday (October 13) said Pravin and Shubham enlisted two alleged shooters – UP resident Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam.

While Gautam is on the run, police have arrested Kashyap and another alleged shooter, identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), a native of Haryana.

A Mumbai court on Sunday remanded Singh in police custody till October 21. The police said Gurmail has a criminal history and was arrested in a murder case in 2019 but was later released on bail.

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Gurmail’s grandmother said his family disowned him 11 years ago, and that his parents are no more.

“He is nothing to us now,” his grandmother told reporters.

Kashyap not a minor

The court ordered a bone ossification test on Kashyap after he claimed he was a minor.

The ossification test was conducted in which it was proved Kashyap is not minor, an official said on Monday (October 14).

He was produced before the court and sent to police custody till October 21, he said.

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Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam are from Gandara village in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh. They were neighbours and childhood friends, said an official. Two months ago, Gautam took Kashyap with him to Pune to find him employment. Since then, their family members had no information about their whereabouts.

Kashyap’s mother was shocked to hear about the allegations against him.

‘Those who help Salman Khan…’: warning from Bishnoi gang

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has threatened that anyone who helps Bollywood actor Salman Khan will be in danger.

Also Read: Lawrence Bishnoi wanted to kill me, my family: Salman Khan to police

“We do not have any enmity with anyone but whoever helps Salman Khan and the Dawood gang, keep your accounts in order,” Lonkar wrote on Facebook in Hindi after the assassination.

The police are verifying the authenticity of the post on Facebook.

The murder

NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique (66) was waylaid by three persons at Kher Nagar in Mumbai's Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office and shot at on Saturday night (October 12). He was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead, according to Mumbai police.