Baba Siddique Murder: Three more people arrested from Pune, so far 14 held

Baba Siddique Murder: Three more people were arrested by Mumbai Police on Wednesday in connection with the murder of former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique.

The arrested accused have been identified as Rupesh Rajendra Mohol (22), Karan Rahul Salve (19) and Shivam Arvind Kohad (20).

“Their involvement in the case has been established,” reported ANI, quoting Mumbai Crime Branch.

On October 12, Siddique was shot dead outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra area of Mumbai.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai Police nabbed one more accused identified as Amit Hisamsing Kumar (29).

He was nabbed from Haryana after his role in the crime came to the fore during the interrogation of other accused.

With the latest arrests, the number of people held in the case has increased to 14.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police on Tuesday said that the three gunmen involved in the killing practiced firing near a waterfall in adjoining Raigad district before executing the murder.

The interrogation of the arrested accused persons revealed that shooters Dharmaraj Kashyap, Gurmail Singh, both arrested, and Shivkumar Gautam, who is absconding, practiced firing near a waterfall in Palasdhari under Karjat tehsil, on Mumbai's outskirts, in September.

A five-member Thane-based contract killing module led by Nitin Sapre and Ram Kanoujia initially got the deal to kill the former Maharashtra minister (66). Pistols used in the crime were brought by Kanoujia and another accused, Bhagwat Singh Om Singh, from Rajasthan, according to the official.

The module backed out of the contract over disagreement on demanding a sum of ₹50 lakh for executing the crime and given the clout of the late politician, but decided to provide logistical support and other help for carrying out the hit, according to the official.

However, investigators have not yet established the motive behind the murder.

They are probing the crime from different angles, including contract killing, business rivalry or threats over a slum rehabilitation project in Mumbai.