Social media post hints purported Bishnoi gang link; cops probe various angles
MUMBAI, Oct 13: The murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai’s upscale Bandra triggered a fiery exchange between the opposition and BJP on Sunday even as a viral social media post claimed Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s role behind the shocking crime.
A court here remanded one of the two accused arrested in the case in police custody till October 21 and directed the cops to conduct a bone ossification test to determine the age of the second accused after he claimed to be a minor.
Police told the court they wanted to probe if the case was the fallout of political rivalry since Maharashtra assembly polls are around the corner.
The Congress led the opposition attack demanding a thorough investigation into the ex-MLA’s killing and said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis should take moral responsibility for “law and order failure” in the state and resign.
The BJP slammed the opposition for indulging in “petty politics” over the murder. Siddique’s party chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said the murder should not be politicised.
The 66-year-old former Maharashtra minister died soon after he was waylaid and shot at by three men at Kher Nagar in Bandra outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office on Saturday night.
The Congress alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra has failed to protect its own leaders and the people of Mumbai who feel scared, claiming it was trying to postpone the election dates through these incidents.
“It is a Government that is on its last legs. With this, the countdown for its exit has begun,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X.
His party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi said the Maharashtra government must take responsibility and order a thorough and transparent investigation.
“The tragic demise of Baba Siddique ji is shocking and saddening. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time. This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail,” Gandhi said on X.
“Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra Govt must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount,” Kharge posted on the social media platform.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Congress’ alliance partner in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra, said each move of the Shinde government is looked upon with suspicion – “like the two arrests made in the murder of Siddique and even the police encounter of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde”.
Sharad Pawar, whose NCP (SP) is another MVA partner, said there is a need to take responsibility over the incident and for the rulers to step down. He said Fadnavis is only keen on attaining power even when such serious incidents have taken place.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said people across the country are “scared” by the killing of Siddique, and gangsters have created an almost similar atmosphere in Delhi. Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also slammed opposition leaders and said it was not right for them to make “insensitive remarks on such a sensitive issue”.
After spending decades in the Congress, Siddique, who won from Bandra West assembly seat in 1999, 2004 and 2009, joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP earlier this year.
“This is not the time for division or for exploiting the pain of others for political advantage. Right now, our focus must be on ensuring that justice is served,” said Ajit Pawar.
Fadnavis said police have found some leads in connection with the case. Different angles behind the murder were being probed, he told reporters in the Gondia district.
One police constable was guarding Siddique when he was fatally shot, an official said, adding that two pistols and 28 live cartridges were recovered from the two accused – Gurmail Singh (23) and another youth Dharamraj Kashyap.
The two youths are residents of residents of Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district. Both have no criminal history there, the UP police said. According to Mumbai cops, Singh is from Haryana.
A team from the Special Cell of the Delhi Police would be sent to Mumbai to assist in the probe, sources said, even as a social media post claimed the involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
One cop was accompanying Siddique when he was shot
One police constable was guarding former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique when he was fatally shot the day before, a Mumbai Police officer said on Sunday, adding that two pistols and 28 live cartridges were recovered from the two accused.
Police are also verifying a social media post in which an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has taken up the responsibility for the murder of the NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader.
The 66-year-old NCP leader was waylaid by three persons at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office and shot at on Saturday night. He was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.
“Police have set up 15 teams which are fanned out of Maharashtra and investigation is on to identify who provided logistical support to the shooters. Two pistols and 28 live rounds were recovered from the accused,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime branch) Datta Nalawade.
He clarified that Siddique was provided a non-categorised security and was allotted three police constables.
“These constables work in three shifts. At the time of the incident (on Saturday night), one policeman was accompanying Siddique,” Nalawade told a press conference.
Police have so far arrested two persons. The involvement of more persons is suspected.
Speaking on the investigation, the DCP said 15 teams have been set up which are working out of Maharashtra. We are also taking help from the local police to ascertain who provided logistical support to the accused shooters. (PTI)