In the high-profile murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai, Akashdeep Karajsingh Gill, a 22-year-old resident from the quaint village of Pakka Chishti in Punjab’s Fazilka, has been apprehended. It's revealed that Akash Gill is associated with the infamous gangster, Lawrence Bishnoi. Gill allegedly assisted the accused in the murder by supplying vital logistical support. He is now being transferred to Mumbai under a transit remand for further legal proceedings.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav disclosed this development on the social media platform X. In his enlightening post, Yadav stated, "The Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force, in a coordinated effort with the Maharashtra Police, has successfully arrested Fazilka resident Akash Gill in the shocking murder case of Baba Siddique. He has now been handed over to the Mumbai police, reflecting our unwavering commitment to public safety and justice."
Details suggest that Akash Gill was captured near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, possibly while trying to flee into Pakistan. This marks the 24th arrest made by the Mumbai Police in connection with the Baba Siddique murder case. Various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, and the MPDA Act have been invoked in this investigation. Numerous arrests have already taken place across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab.
Earlier, the main shooter, Shivkumar, along with four other suspects, were arrested from Nanpara in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. The Mumbai Police had brought them on transit remand. Beyond Shivkumar, the accused list includes Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhilendra Pratap Singh. These four individuals had harbored shooter Shivkumar.
Shivkumar Gautam hails from Gandara village in the Kaiserganj police station area of Bahraich district. He moved to Maharashtra a few years ago to work as a laborer. In April this year, he called upon the accused Dharamraj Kashyap for work opportunities. During police interrogations, Shivkumar divulged significant insights, confessing that both he and Dharamraj belong to the same village and previously worked in the scrap business in Pune. Subham Lonkar and he had adjacent shops.
Subham, involved with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for quite some time, arranged communication between Shivkumar and Lawrence’s brother Anmol Bishnoi via Snapchat. In return for carrying out Baba Siddique’s murder, Subham promised a reward of 10 lakh rupees, plus a monthly payment. The murder weapons, mobile phones, and SIM cards utilized for the crime were provided by Subham Lonkar and Mohd. Yaseen Akhtar. Post-murder, the shooters received new SIM cards and mobile phones for further communication.
After several days of meticulous surveillance, the shooters executed Baba on the night of October 12. Due to festival activities, the area was crowded with increased police presence, which led to the capture of two shooters. However, Shivkumar managed to escape, disposing of his phone en route, and traveled to Pune, then onward to Jhansi, Lucknow, and finally Bahraich. He frequently borrowed phones to communicate with his accomplices and handler during his journey.
