Two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique have claimed affiliation with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, although police have yet to verify this assertion, reports said.
However, so far, the gang has not claimed responsibility for the murder. Siddique, a key figure in Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP, succumbed to bullet injuries after being shot near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra on Saturday evening. The police suspect it to be a contract killing and have formed four special teams to investigate the case.
The shooting, which occurred during Dussehra festivities, was executed by three men. Two of the apprehended individuals have been identified as Karnail Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh. The third person is reportedly absconding. Police believe someone may have been providing them with information regarding Siddique's whereabouts.
According to reports, during interrogation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, the two arrested suspects suspects claimed they had been conducting a recce of the shooting spot in Bandra East for nearly a month. They arrived at the site in an auto rickshaw last night and waited before executing the shooting.
Authorities are exploring two potential motives for the crime: one linked to the Bishnoi gang and another involving a slum rehabilitation project. The gang's involvement is suspected due to Siddique's association with Bollywood star Salman Khan, who has previously received threats from Lawrence Bishnoi. Close sources to Siddique report that he received a death threat 15 days prior to his murder and was granted 'Y' category security.
Central agencies are collaborating with the Mumbai Police, while officers in Gujarat and Delhi are also investigating the incident.
Lawrence Bishnoi, currently incarcerated in Gujarat and facing numerous criminal charges, remains in the headlines for his gang's ransom activities targeting businessmen.
