A critical lead in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique has emerged as police discovered a photo of his son, Zeeshan Siddique, on the phone of one of the accused. According to police sources, the photo was shared via Snapchat, a platform used by the conspirators to communicate, with messages being deleted on the instructions of a handler allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Baba Siddique, a former Congress leader, was shot near his son’s office in Bandra’s Nirmal Nagar on October 12, 2024. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. So far, police have arrested nine suspects, including two of the three shooters. The suspects include Nitin Gautam Sapre, Sambhaji Kisan Pardhi, Pradeep Dattu Thombre, Chetan Dilip Pardhi, and Ram Fulchand Kanoujia, all of whom allegedly provided weapons and logistical support.
The shooters, Dharmraj Kashyap and Gurnail Singh, were arrested on the day of the crime, while another shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, remains at large.
Police sources revealed that Shubham Lonkar, the alleged handler of the shooters, deliberately chose individuals from Uttar Pradesh, believing they would be less familiar with Baba Siddique’s prominence in Maharashtra and more likely to accept the contract for a lower fee.
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The investigation has also raised questions about Siddique’s security at the time of the assassination. One of the constables present during the shooting was suspended for failing to react when the assailants fired six rounds at Siddique. The constable claimed that a “chilli-like substance” had impaired his vision, preventing him from responding.
The attackers used a device to create thick smoke, which masked both their presence and the gunfire, making it difficult for bystanders to react. Despite Baba Siddique’s standard security detail of two guards during the day and one at night, only one security guard was with him at the time of the shooting.
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Investigators are also probing whether there is a link between this murder and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has been implicated in several high-profile crimes, including the 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
A Facebook post shortly after Siddique’s death claimed responsibility for the murder, and police arrested 28-year-old Pravin Lonkar, a suspected co-conspirator, from Pune. His brother, Shubham Lonkar, remains at large and is suspected to be involved in both the Siddique murder and an earlier firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s residence.
As the investigation continues, authorities are exploring further connections to the Bishnoi gang, which has been accused of running a transnational crime syndicate, despite its leader being in jail since 2015.
