In the intriguing case of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui's murder, police have identified six suspects, arresting three thus far. On Saturday, Siddiqui was tragically shot outside his office and later passed away at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital.
The immediate arrest included two assailants, Dharamraj Rajesh Kashyap and Gurmel Baljit Singh, picked up on the spot. Subsequently, the police also nabbed the third accused, Praveen Lonkar.
Praveen is notably linked to Shubham Lonkar, who publicly claimed on social media that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang orchestrated Siddiqui's assassination. However, three suspects—Shivkumar Gautam, Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar, and Shubham Lonkar—remain elusive.
Initial investigations reveal that Shivkumar Gautam was the third gunman with Dharamraj Kashyap and Gurmel Singh during the act, but he slipped away and remains at large. The police suspect Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar as the mastermind behind the murder.
What are the latest developments?
According to police, on Saturday evening, Dharamraj, Shiv Kumar, and Gurmel arrived at Baba Siddiqui's Bandra office in Mumbai. At the time of the shooting, Siddiqui was reportedly setting off firecrackers as part of a celebration.
The Mumbai police revealed that the attackers carried pepper spray, planning to use it on Siddiqui. However, Shiv opted for direct gunfire. A quick response from Siddiqui's security led to the capture of Dharamraj and Gurmel, yet Shiv evaded capture.
What do we know about the assailants?
Dharamraj and Shiv Kumar hail from Uttar Pradesh, while Gurmel is from Kaithal, Haryana. Zeeshan Akhtar is a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab.
Gurmel's grandmother shared with media that his parents have passed away and he means little to them now. She recounted his release from jail on bail three months ago and how he seldom stayed home thereafter.
In contrast, UP residents Shiv Kumar and Dharamraj appear to have no criminal past. Shiv Kumar's mother mentioned his work at a scrapyard in Pune, last visiting their village during Holi.
Anil Kumar Singh from the Kaiserganj circle disclosed that Shiv Kumar came to Maharashtra years ago for labor work, crossing paths with Dharamraj then.
Source: aajtak
Who is Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar?
Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar, from Jalandhar, was previously incarcerated in Patiala Jail, facing seven charges. Sources disclose that he connected with Lawrence Bishnoi gang members inside, who allegedly assigned him the task of eliminating Siddiqui.
Reports suggest Zeeshan left prison on June 7 this year. Soon after, he visited Gurmel in Kaithal, Haryana, then coordinated accommodation for Shiv, Dharamraj, and Gurmel in Mumbai. He remained in Mumbai following Siddiqui's murder, with his last traced location there still under investigation by the police.
Source: aajtak
The Brothers - Shubham and Praveen
On Sunday, Shubham Lonkar from Pune bravely claimed responsibility for the murder on social media, attributing it to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
It is believed that the Lonkar brothers—Shubham and Praveen—commissioned Shiv and Dharamraj to carry out Siddiqui's murder. Praveen ran a dairy near the scrapyard where Shiv and Dharamraj worked.
By Sunday evening, police had apprehended Praveen Lonkar; however, his brother Shubham remains at large, and an active search is ongoing for his arrest.
Did the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang orchestrate the murder?
The shocking murder of Baba Siddiqui has been claimed by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, yet police are still verifying these allegations. The gang is infamous for even threatening Bollywood star Salman Khan. Allegations suggest Siddiqui's closeness to Khan may be a motive for his assassination. Investigations into these claims are still underway.
