Contract killing or business feud? Mumbai cops say Baba Siddique’s murder premeditated

Mumbai: The Congress party has alleged that Baba Siddique had told the Maharashtra government 15 days ago about a threat to his life. Meanwhile, a Mumbai police official said that the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique is suspected to be premeditated.

The Crime Branch has launched a probe and is looking at different angles for the murder; a possible contract killing, business rivalry or threats over a slum rehabilitation project. A hue and cry has been raised in Mumbai over the killing as questions are being raised such as ‘How was it possible to shoot a Y-security level individual from close range?’

Firecrackers covered the sound of guns firing

Police said that the assailants fired at Baba Siddique while firecrackers were being burst at a Durga Visarjan procession on October 12 night. They got an advantage as most people could not hear the gunshots, the police said.

Intelligence failure is also being pointed out by Congress leaders and senior NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar.

While Baba Siddique switched over to NCP with Ajit Pawar, in Bandra the maximum number of people who have come to pay their last respects to a former colleague and friend are Congress leaders. People have come from different parts of India, for the final rites that are going to be carried out at Bada Kabrastan in Marine Lines.

Medical report from Lilavati Hospital

The medical report from Lilavati Hospital Bandra where Baba Siddique was taken to the emergency department stated that the gunshot injuries are on the right and left chest and back. The 66-year-old Siddique was unresponsive when he was brought to the hospital.

Police say that the three assailants opened four to five rounds of fire from a 9.9 MM pistol. He was waylaid by three persons at Kher Nagar in Bandra just outside his son MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s office and shot.

Cops recovered 28 live cartridges

Police have arrested two people Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), a resident of Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), a native of Uttar Pradesh. A case has been registered against the three accused under relevant Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections, including for murder, as well as provisions of the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act, they said.

The two suspects arrested in the Baba Siddique murder case were presented in Killa Court, where police requested a 14-day remand. The police recovered 28 live cartridges from them and are determining if the accused had other targets besides Siddique.

The third shooter is absconding.

The police are checking the CCTV footage of the area to get more information about the attack. Multiple Mumbai teams are working on the case.

Verifying social media claim by Bishnoi

The police said that they are examining the social media post of an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who has taken responsibility for the murder of Baba Siddique.

“We have seen the viral social media post, we are verifying its authenticity,” the official said. Notably, some Bishnoi gang members had been held in connection with the firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai in April this year.

According to sources, the Bishnoi gang’s involvement is being closely looked at by the police. A source explained, “They are first going to fully check on the Bishnoi gang as utterances by Lawrence to the police are recorded with them.”

Lawrence Bishnoi is presently in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said police have found some leads in connection with the killing. “Some leaders are found, and police will talk about it once the legal procedures are over.”