The police sources said investigating officials suspect that the shooters were instructed to target both NCP leader Baba Siddique and his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique. The NCP leader (66) was shot dead by three assailants at Kher Nagar in Mumbai's Bandra area just outside his son Zeeshan's office on Saturday night. He was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead. On the day of the incident, Zeeshan left the office minutes before his father's arrival.
Police suspect that some insiders had passed on information about Siddique to the attackers, helping them to reach Kherwadi junction on time. The accused used to come to Bandra daily to conduct a recce of places linked to Baba Siddique and his son Zeeshan, mostly using auto rickshaws, they added.
On the day of the incident, both Baba Siddique and his son were at the same place, and the accused somehow got to know about it. Sources also said that some insider was passing on information about the location of the father-son duo.
In fact, Baba Siddique's visit to his son Zeeshan's office that day was not a part of his regular routine. He had gone to his son's office after attending a Garba event, and enquired about Zeeshan, but was told that he had left for work a few minutes ago.
When Baba Siddique was walking towards his car, the attackers allegedly used a tear gas-like substance. Following this, absconding accused Shivkumar Gautam fired six rounds from a 9 mm pistol and fled. According to sources, the other two accused did not fire, but were carrying pistols and 28 live cartridges.
‘Co-conspirator’ held from Pune
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police arrested a 28-year-old man from Pune who along with his brother “enlisted” two of the three alleged shooters in the Baba Siddique murder case.
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.
According to the crime branch official, Pravin and Shubham “enlisted” two alleged shooters, a UP resident and Shivkumar Gautam.
While Gautam is on the run, police have arrested the UP resident and another alleged shooter, identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh (23).
The official said 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.
Police have recovered two bullets and 28 live bullets were recovered from the two apprehended shooters.
