Five people were arrested on Monday for the murder of Baba Siddique — including main shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam. Details revealed by the assailants however indicate that both Baba Siddique and his son Zeeshan Siddique had been potential targets.
According to a News18 report, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had instructed Gautam to kill either of the two politicians — whomever he encountered first. He also told the Mumbai Police during interrogation that the instructions were given by Anmol Bishnoi — the brother of the jailed gangster.
Senior NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three gunmen near his MLA son Zeeshan's office in Mumbai on October 12. The police have arrested 23 people in the case so far.
Meanwhile a recent update from the Mumbai Crime Branch suggested that another Pune leader was also on the radar of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The manner came to light after a pistol — intended for the next killing — was recovered by the police. Inputs and information have been shared with authorities in Pune and an investigation remains underway.
“The Lawrence Bishnoi gang was planning to kill the Pune leader too and the responsibility of carrying out the crime was given to the shooters involved in Plan B,” the official told ANI.
Several people arrested in connection with the murder of Baba Siddique had also been involved in a backup plan made by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Shooter Gaurav Vilas Apune who was arrested last week on Friday had been sent to Jharkhand with weapons towards the end of July to practice firing. He had been involved as a shooter in Plan B.
The investigation of the Mumbai Crime Branch revealed that he had been accompanied by Rupesh Mohol — who was arrested earlier by the Mumbai Police. The arrangements had been made by murder mastermind Shubham Lonkar. Both had practised their firing for a day in Jharkhand before returning to Pune and getting back in touch with Lonkar.
(With inputs from agencies)
