Mumbai:

Mumbai Police’s crime branch investigating the Baba Siddique murder case on Sunday arrested a scrap dealer from Navi Mumbai for allegedly providing a weapon to shooters, taking the number of persons in custody so far to 10, an official said.

The accused has been identified as Bhagwat Singh Om Singh (32), originally from Udaipur in Rajasthan who is currently staying in Navi Mumbai.

Bhagwat Singh Om Singh was produced before a court which remanded him to police custody till October 26, the official said.

Police have so far arrested 10 persons, including Bhagwant Singh, from various locations, including five from the Mumbai Metropolitan region for providing logistical support and firearms, in connection with Baba Siddique’s killing on October 12.

The former Maharashtra minister was fatally shot, prima facie by three persons, near the office of his MLA son in Bandra.

The suspected shooters in the custody of police are Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19). The main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, and two other persons involved in the murder conspiracy are on the run.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai MLA Zeeshan Siddique, son of Maharashtra’s former minister Baba Siddique who was murdered last week, asserted today that he is ready to take his father’s place in service to the people.  “The blood of a lion runs in my veins. I am still here, unafraid and unbroken. They took one, but I rise in his place. This fight is far from over. Today, I stand where he stood : ALIVE, RELENTLESS and READY,” read his post on social media platform X, formerly twitter.

They silenced my father. But they forget – he was a lion-and I carry his roar within me, his fight in my veins. He stood for justice, fought for change and withstood the storms with unwavering courage. Now, those who brought him down turn their sights on me assuming they’ve won,…

— Zeeshan Siddique (@zeeshan_iyc) October 20, 2024

Baba Siddique was shot down last week, apparently  by the order of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail. The motive, apparently, was the former minister’s close relationship with Bollywood actor Salman Khan. 

Investigators said Zeeshan Siddique is also a target for the same reason. His photo has been found on the cellphone seized from one of the three men who shot his father.

While nothing is on record, Bishnoi’s associates have given the impression that his grouse against Salman Khan is about the blackbucks the actor killed 20 years ago. 

Siddique was shot by three men near his MLA son’s office in  Mumbai’s Bandra area on October 12. 

The former Congress leader, who had switched to NCP, was taken to the nearby Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead. 

The police have arrested nine people – including two of the three shooters – in the case so far.

Bishnoi, who has multiple cases agaisnt him, including of murder,  had shot into limelight with the murder of Punjabi artiste Siddhu Moose Wala.

New Delhi:

Even as the number of arrests in NCP leader Baba Siddique’s murder case went up to nine, his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique on Friday shared a cryptic post on social media platform X.

Not all that is hidden sleeps,
Nor all that is visible speaks.

— Zeeshan Siddique (@zeeshan_iyc) October 18, 2024

On the same day, Zeeshan Siddique met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio in the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, and was apprised of the police probe so far into the murder of his father.

Earlier on Thursday, Zeeshan Siddique had demanded justice for his family, while also appealing that his father’s death should not be politicised and nor should it go in vain.

Baba Siddique was gunned down near Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Nirmal Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area on October 12. Nine persons have been arrested in the case so far, including five held on Friday after raids in Panvel and Karjat in neighbouring Raigad district.

Meanwhile, a shooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed Baba Siddique was not a good man and had connections with India’s most-wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim. 

Yogesh alias Raju (26), who is associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi-Hashim Baba gangs but not linked with Baba Siddique’s killing, said, “There were charges against him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). It is said that he was associated with Dawood, the man behind the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. When people get involved with such individuals, something is bound to happen. This is exactly what happened to Siddique,” Raju claimed.

As investigation into the case continues and security for actor Salman Khan was ramped up after the 66-year-old NCP leader’s murder, police in Mumbai received a threat message demanding Rs 5 crore from Mr Khan, claiming to resolve his conflict with imprisoned gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The message also warned that if the demand is not met, “Salman Khan’s condition will be worse than Baba Siddique.”

Mumbai:

Five more persons were held on Friday in connection with the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, taking the total number of arrests in the sensational case to nine, a Mumbai police official said.

Based on specific information, raids were carried out by the Crime Branch in Panvel and Karjat in neighbouring Raigad district, leading to the arrest of these five persons for conspiracy related to the crime and its execution, he said.

The arrested persons were also in touch with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which is accused of gunning down Baba Siddique, the official added.

“The total number of arrests in the case now stands at nine. Further probe is underway,” he added.

Baba Siddique was shot at and grievously injured on October 12 near his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Nirmal Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area. The Congress-turned-NCP leader died some time later in nearby Lilavati Hospital.

The four persons arrested earlier include two alleged shooters who were overpowered by police and passersby at the spot itself. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been issued a death threat, allegedly by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, demanding Rs 5 crore to “end the enmity”. A WhatsApp message, sent to Mumbai Traffic Police, warned that if the money is not paid, then the actor’s fate would be worse than that of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was murdered recently, allegedly by Bishnoi gang members.

“Don’t take this lightly. If Salman Khan wants to stay alive and end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, he must pay Rs 5 crore. If the money is not given, his condition will be worse than Baba Siddiqui’s,” the threat message read. 

According to sources, the Mumbai Police is working to track the origins of the message and have increased security around Mr Khan’s Bandra residence. The actor has been on high alert following previous threats, and this recent development has added renewed concerns about his safety.

READ | Lawrence Bishnoi Has 700 Shooters On Call. How He Operates From Jail

Yesterday, the Navi Mumbai Police arrested a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The accused, identified as Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, was apprehended in Haryana’s Panipat and has been linked to an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Khan. Singh had reportedly given a contract to other gang members to carry out the attack on the actor.

According to police sources, Singh had been in direct contact with his handler, Dogar, a Pakistani-based figure, to coordinate the planned attack. The gang had allegedly intended to use high-powered firearms, including AK-47s, M16s, and AK-92s, smuggled from Pakistan to execute the plot. 

Singh’s arrest is the latest in a series of breakthroughs in a broader investigation into the Bishnoi gang’s conspiracy against Mr Khan. Earlier this year, the Navi Mumbai police registered an FIR against 18 individuals from the gang for plotting to kill the actor. The FIR followed a shocking incident in which members of the gang fired outside Mr Khan’s Bandra residence.

READ | “Wanted Canada To Extradite Bishnoi Gang Members”: India On Diplomatic Row

Among the accused named in the case are high-profile members of the Bishnoi gang, including Lawrence Bishnoi himself, his brother Anmol, Sampat Nehra, Goldie Brar, and Rohit Godhara. These individuals have long been linked to organised criminal activity across North India and have become notorious for their brazen threats and acts of violence.

The ongoing police investigation has uncovered disturbing details about the gang’s planning. Police sources revealed that the Bishnoi gang had deployed between 60 to 70 operatives to monitor Mr Khan’s movements. These individuals conducted reconnaissance at various locations, including Mr Khan’s Bandra residence, his Panvel farmhouse, and the actor’s shooting locations. The gang even attempted to recruit minors to act as sharpshooters.

This is not the first time Mr Khan has been the target of death threats linked to the Bishnoi gang. In 2022, a letter threatening the actor was discovered on a bench near his residence, and in March 2023, the actor received an email allegedly sent by members of the gang. In January 2024, two unidentified individuals attempted to trespass into Mr Khan’s Panvel farmhouse using fake identities, an incident that prompted the actor to increase security around his property.

Mr Khan’s feud with Lawrence Bishnoi dates back several years. The gangster, currently imprisoned, has reportedly harboured a grudge against the actor over his alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The Bishnoi community reveres the blackbuck, and the incident is the primary reason why the gang seeks revenge. 

Mumbai:

The shooters who killed Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique relied on YouTube videos to practise shooting. Accused Gurmail Singh and Dharamaraj Kashyap – who were arrested hours after they fired six rounds at Siddique – learned to shoot by watching videos on YouTube, sources said.

The police are trying to find out about the location they used to practice at, the sources added.

The Mumbai crime branch has so far recorded the statements of more than 15 people in this case, including many witnesses. The Mumbai Police also arrested one more person today – its fourth arrest – in connection with the killing of the NCP leader, claiming that he provided money and weapons for the crime.

Harishkumar Balakram Nisad (23), from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh, was on Tuesday remanded in police custody till October 21 by a court in Mumbai.

Accused Pravin (arrested) and Shubham Lonkar (on the run) had given Rs 2 lakh to the arrested shooters Gurmail Singh and Dharamaraj Kashyap and this money was sent through the fourth accused Harish, the police said.

Nisad worked as a scrap dealer in Warje area of Pune city, said a police official.

Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19) – the alleged shooters – were arrested on Saturday while “co-conspirator” Pravin Lonkar was arrested yesterday.

Three accused in the case – including another suspected shooter Shiva Lumar Gautam and Shubham Lonkar – are still on the run.

Nisad and Kashyap belong to the same village as the wanted accused Gautam.

Baba Siddique (66), a former Congress leader who had joined the Nationalist Congress Party earlier this year, was shot outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra east’s Nirmal Nagar area. He was rushed to the nearby Lilavati hospital where he was declared dead.

Pravin Lonkar was accused of “enlisting” two of the three alleged shooters. The police were also verifying a purported social media post of his brother Shubham, an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, owning up to the murder of Siddique.

The police have also written to the Facebook and Instagram authorities, seeking more details about the post.

Shubham Lonkar was also picked by Mumbai Police in June this year for questioning after the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s house in Mumbai in April as the Bishnoi gang’s involvement was suspected.

But he was let off as no evidence was found. Still, he was kept under surveillance, but on September 24 he became untraceable.

The crime branch, meanwhile, has recovered a 7.62 mm gun from a black bag found near the crime scene.

Mumbai:

The Mumbai police have arrested one more person in connection with the killing of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, officials said on Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Harishkumar Balakram (23), hailing from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh, an official said.

Balakram was working as a scrap dealer in Maharashtra’s Pune, he said, adding the accused was also part of the conspiracy to kill Baba Siddique.

He was arrested from Bahraich, the official said.

With this, four persons have so far been arrested in connection with Mr Siddique’s killing.

Police had earlier arrested Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), both alleged shooters, and “co-conspirator” Pravin Lonkar from Pune.

Another suspected shooter Shivkumar Gautam, who hails from Bahraich, is on the run.

Baba Siddique, 66, was waylaid by three persons in Mumbai’s Nirmal Nagar area, just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office, and shot at on Saturday night. He was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead, according to police.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The probe into politician Baba Siddique’s murder has shed light on the alleged involvement of the Bishnoi gang. Cops in multiple states are now searching for the two suspects who remain at large, one of them named as an associate of the gangster in police records.

Zeeshan Akhtar’s name has emerged in the ongoing probe into Baba Siddiqui’s murder. He was allegedly the handler of the three shooters – Dharmaraj Kashyap, Gurmail Baljit Singh, and Shivkumar Gautam. Kashyap and Singh were arrested shortly after they shot Siddiqui dead outside his son’s office in Bandra on Saturday night.

The attack was claimed by a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, citing the politician’s proximity to actor Salman Khan, who has been on their hit list over the 1998 blackbuck case.

Who is Zeeshan Akhtar

Zeeshan Akhtar, a resident of Jalandhar whose real name is Mohammad Yasin Akhtar, was arrested by the Punjab Police in 2022, a police dossier has revealed. He branded himself as the “Zulmi of Crime World” and has nearly two dozen members in his gang.

Read | Baba Siddique Murder Suspect Was Questioned In Salman Khan Case And Let Off

He had a Rs 30 lakh extortion case against him in Jalandhar’s Sadar Police Station -among at least seven criminal cases filed against him.

During one of his extortion attempts, Zeeshan had fired two bullets at his target. Two pistols – 0.30 and 0.32 bore – were also mentioned in his police records that he used to carry out the crime.

He was in contact with Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, using a “special app”, the records showed. Zeeshan had also recced two Dera followers in Punjab on the instructions of Vikram Brar, a close aide of Lawrence Bishnoi.

Read | This Order Is Stopping Mumbai Police From Taking Lawrence Bishnoi’s Custody

Zeeshan had met Gurmail in Patiala Jail, where he convinced him to join Bishnoi gang, sources said. Gurmail is the only shooter among the three accused with a criminal history.

Zeeshan was not in Mumbai during the murder of Baba Siddique and coordinated the shooting from outside, the sources said, adding that he brought the weapons used for the crime from Punjab to Mumbai.

The police records also mentioned Saurav Mahakal, whose name had emerged in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case. Saurabh, a Pune-based henchman of Anmol Bishnoi, had stayed at Zeeshan’s house several times. Mumbai Police had also questioned him over the threat letters sent to actor Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan.

One of the suspects that the Mumbai Police are looking for in the sensational murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Mumbai’s Bandra last week had also been questioned after the firing outside the residence of actor Salman Khan in April, but was let off because of lack of evidence. 

Police said, in their investigation, Shubham Lonkar is emerging as one of the key conspirators in the murder of Siddique, who was a three-time MLA and a member of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. 

Sources said that after the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence, Galaxy Apartments, in Bandra, Lonkar, who is believed to be a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was one of the people who had been picked up for questioning. His name was allegedly taken by several people who had been interrogated in the case. The sources said Lonkar was accused of providing shelter to the suspects in the firing case but had to be let go because no strong evidence could be found. 

Police had told NDTV earlier that Lonkar and his brother, Pravin, were two of the key conspirators in the Siddique murder and had enlisted two of the shooters – Dharamraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam – in the plot. A note posted on Facebook on Sunday in which the Lawrence Bishnoi gang took responsibility for Siddique’s murder was also allegedly from Shubham Lonkar’s account. 

While Pravin was arrested from Pune on Sunday evening, Shubham is still on the run.  

The names of the Lonkar brothers were used by the police in court on Monday to state officially for the first time that the Bishnoi gang could be behind Siddique’s killing. 

Warning Post

In the Facebook post, Lonkar claimed that Siddique had been killed because he was linked to India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was close to Salman Khan and because of the death of Anuj Thapan, one of the arrested suspects in the shooting outside Mr Khan’s house, in police custody.

Thapan was found dead on May 1 inside the Mumbai Crime Branch lock-up. The police had said he died by suicide but his family had claimed he was tortured in custody.

“We do not have any enmity with anyone but whoever helps Salman Khan and the Dawood gang, keep your accounts in order (‘hisab-kitaab kar lena’),” Lonkar wrote in Hindi in the Facebook post, whose authenticity is being verified.

Security has been tightened around Mr Khan’s house in Bandra as well as his farmhouse in Panvel near Mumbai.

New Delhi:

Despite his gang claiming responsibility for the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s house in April and now former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique’s killing last week, the Mumbai Police has not been able to get custody of dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is in a jail in Gujarat. Sources said that, after the April firing, the Mumbai Police filed several applications to get the custody of Bishnoi, who is in the Sabarmati jail, but they have been denied because of a Home ministry order barring his transfer.

Bishnoi was moved to the Sabarmati jail from Delhi’s Tihar in August 2023 in connection with a drug smuggling case and the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued an order under Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) stating that no state or agency can seek his custody for a year. The section gives the government the power to bar the movement of prisoners when doing so can affect law and order.

The order was supposed to be in effect till August this year, but sources said it has been extended for another year. 

The Bishnoi gang made national headlines after claiming responsibility for killing Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022. It then said it was responsible for the firing outside Salman Khan’s house, Galaxy Apartments, in Bandra in April. 

The gang, whose day-to-day operations are now run primarily by Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol, and gangsters Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara, has said it wants to kill Salman Khan because of his alleged involvement in shooting blackbucks at Bawad in Mathania near Jodhpur in September 1998, during the filming of the film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.

The alleged act had upset the Bishnoi community, which considers the blackbuck sacred.

Lawrence Bishnoi had said during a court appearance in 2018: “We will kill Salman Khan in Jodhpur. Everyone will know once we take action. I have not done anything as of now, they are accusing me of crimes for no reason.”

A member of the gang, who has now been taken into custody, has said that the murder of Siddique on Saturday was also its handiwork.

Lonkar claimed that Siddique had been killed because he was linked to India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was close to Salman Khan and because of the death of Anuj Thapan, one of the arrested suspects in the shooting outside Mr Khan’s house, in police custody.

Police are verifying the authenticity of the post.