Mumbai Police identified two suspects in the investigation of the murder of former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddiqui. The two men believed to have opened fire on him, have been identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh. A third individual, Pravin Lonkar, 29, was arrested in Pune.
Social Media Claim of Responsibility
Pravin Lonkar’s brother, Shubham, had previously posted on social media claiming responsibility for the murder on behalf of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. However, he later deleted the post. Shubham is suspected of being a key conspirator who recruited Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam, the shooter who remains at large.
Details of the Attack
The assailants attacked Baba Siddiqui on Saturday, stepping out of a vehicle and taking advantage of the noise from firecrackers to shoot him. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Criminal Background of Gurmail Baljit Singh
Authorities revealed that Gurmail has a criminal record, having been arrested in a murder case in 2019, although he was released on bail. His family has reportedly disowned him, with his grandmother stating, “His parents have died. He is nothing to us now.” She mentioned that Gurmail had been released on bail three months ago but had not returned home since.
Dharmaraj Kashyap’s Background
Dharmaraj Kashyap hails from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. His mother expressed shock upon learning of the allegations against her son, revealing that he left home two months ago to work at a scrapyard in Pune.
Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP) Vrinda Shukla confirmed that both Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam, who is also linked to the murder, are from Gandara village within the Kaiserganj police station jurisdiction. According to officials, Shiv Kumar and Dharmaraj were childhood friends and neighbors. Shiv Kumar had recently taken Dharmaraj with him to Pune for work, and since then, their families have not heard from them.
Ongoing Investigation
The Mumbai Police have identified a total of six individuals associated with the murder of Baba Siddiqui. While three suspects are currently in custody, efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining suspects. The plan to assassinate Siddiqui was allegedly devised in a Patiala jail with assistance from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar has been identified as a key figure in orchestrating the murder.