Baba Siddique murder case: The Mumbai Crime Branch has disclosed details about the money trail involved in the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in its chargesheet. According to the chargesheet, a contract money of Rs 17 lakh was given for the murder of the NCP leader and accused Shubham Lonkar played a key role in the money transaction.
The crime branch had filed a 4,590-page chargesheet in a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai. The crime branch named 29 accused in the chargesheet, including 26 already arrested and three wanted persons, including Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
What police chargesheet reveal?
The chargesheet further revealed that the accused carried out money transactions for the murder conspiracy through an account under the name Salman Bohra in Gujarat and Karnataka. Members of the Bishnoi gang also played a significant role in the operation.
During the investigation, the accused revealed that they were fed up with doing recce as they were not able to find the right time to carry out the murder. They admitted that if the murder had not been carried out on the specific day the incident occurred, it likely would not have happened at all.
Additionally, the accused revealed that they spent over Rs 10,000 on pepper spray as part of their preparations for the crime.
As per the chargesheet, fugitive gangster Anmol Bishnoi allegedly ordered the killing of NCP politician Baba Siddique to "create an atmosphere of terror" through his organised crime syndicate. Police said they have collected strong evidence against all the 29 accused.
26 accused arrested in case
The 26 arrested suspects include the alleged main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, and his accomplices. Police have charged them under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder and later invoked MCOCA against all of them. The accused are currently in judicial custody.
So far, police have recorded statements from 88 individuals and identified a total of 180 witnesses, including former MLA Zeeshan Siddique. They have also recovered five firearms, six magazines, and 35 mobile phones.
Baba Siddique murder
Baba Siddique was shot dead near Zeeshan Siddique's office on October 12, 2024. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead. 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.
In 2024, he left the Congress party and joined the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). He was famous for hosting grand Iftar parties, which were attended by prominent Bollywood stars like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. His events were always glittering with the presence of various celebrities from the film industry. Baba Siddique had been with the Congress party for 48 years and served as an MLA from Bandra West three times. He had also held the position of State Minister in Maharashtra.
Also Read: Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar faction's 6 MPs, several MLAs to join NCP, claims Ajit Pawar's party
Also Read: Ajit Pawar to voters in Baramati: 'You have voted for me, does not mean you have become my master'
