The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police, investigating the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, has made a startling discovery. According to sources, the trio of shooters—Gurmail Singh, Dharmendra Kashyap, and Shivkumar—were in constant communication with Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, via Snapchat. This revelation has led to the arrest of 10 individuals involved in the conspiracy, with the confiscation of four phones affirming their contact with Anmol before the killing.
Sourced from Crime Branch investigations, it was identified that the three shooters communicated separately with Anmol Bishnoi on Snapchat. This is the first considerable evidence proving the shooters' direct link with Anmol, although Mumbai Police remained unsurprised. The sensational news parallels instances like the April shootout at Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment, where Anmol was also implicated. Additionally, investigations have revealed that Shivkumar played a key part in executing the attack on Baba Siddique.
Besides the three shooters, Parveen Lonkar, who was arrested in Pune, was also found to be directly in contact with Anmol Bishnoi. Amid these developments, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a reward of ₹10 lakh on Anmol's head, prompted by evidence of his involvement in shooting incidents including Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment. Despite NIA's previous hunt for Anmol post-Sidhu Moosewala's murder, his location remained elusive since his escape.
Reports indicated sightings of Anmol in Kenya initially, but later surfaced visuals showed him attending an event in Bakersfield, California, USA, in April 2023 alongside Punjabi singers Aujla and Sherimaan. Selfies Anmol took at the stage went viral on social networks. However, an analysis of social media posts on Facebook traced back to him suggested a Portuguese IP address. The latest information suggests that Anmol is currently hiding in the USA but frequently travels to Canada.
Source: aajtak
As per NIA, after Sidhu Moosewala's murder, Lawrence allegedly facilitated Anmol Bishnoi's escape via a fake passport through Nepal to Dubai, then to Kenya, and finally, the USA. Anmol faces 11 charges, including shootings at Salman Khan's residence. Before fleeing, he was imprisoned in Rajasthan's Jodhpur Jail for a murder case and was released on bail on October 7, 2021. Subsequent evasion from law enforcement ensued, leading to the announced reward on his head.
Meanwhile, in coordinated raids across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Chandigarh, NIA seized large amounts of weapons, cash, and digital evidence. These raids unveiled the contact between Anmol Bishnoi and groups like Babbar Khalsa International and Lawrence's crime syndicate. The findings indeed pivot NIA's investigation towards Anmol's pivotal role. However, the police remain on the lookout for four fugitive accused in the case, despite producing insights from detained individuals in Crime Branch interrogations.
Two shooters, Gurmail Singh and Dharmendra Kashyap, reportedly practiced their gun skills by watching YouTube videos for nearly 15 days before their attack on Baba Siddique. Without magazines in their pistols, the duo honed their targeting and shooting tactics. Weapons used in the shootout were recovered as well. Investigations also exposed that the shooters attempted to attack Baba Siddique at least 10 times before that. Reaching sites where Baba was present, challenges like his protective entourage or secured perimeters foiled their plans.
Source: aajtak
Consequently, the shooters plotted to confront Baba Siddique outside his son Zeeshan’s office due to the location's strategic openness allowing several escape routes. On the night of the incident, Mumbai Police's Crime Branch apprehended Gurmail Singh and Dharmendra Kashyap on-site. The third conspirator, Parveen Lonkar, was captured in Pune, leading to another conspirator's identification—Harish Kumar Nishad, operating a scrap shop adjacent to Parveen's stable in Pune, reportedly financed by Parveen for a bike purchase essential for reconnaissance missions on Baba Siddique.
Although apprehending notable conspirators, two pivotal issues concern Mumbai Police: Despite the shooters' ties with Lawrence's gang, the gang's involvement in the murder remains unproven. Jeeshan and Shubham Lonkar previously liaised with Lawrence's syndicate, but no concrete link between Lawrence and the shooters materialized. Questions over the claimed post taking responsibility for the murder by Lawrence's gang linger unresolved, reflecting ongoing quest for clarity in the investigation.
