Baba Siddiqui murder case: Accused suspected to have received training in Naxal affected areas

The investigation into the assassination conspiracy of former minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddiqui has revealed significant details. Shubham Lonkar, one of the prime accused, reportedly received training in a Naxalite-infested area in Gumla, Jharkhand. Along with him, two other accused, Rupesh Mohal and Gaurav Apune, were also trained in handling weapons. The Mumbai Crime Branch is currently verifying this information as part of their ongoing investigation.

The Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) has been imposed on the accused to strengthen the case. So far, 13 of the accused are in judicial custody, while the Crime Branch is seeking custody of five other suspected individuals. Following Baba Siddiqui's assassination, Shubham Lonkar's brother, Praveen Lonkar, was arrested. However, after the arrest, Praveen severed all contact with the other accused, making it difficult for authorities to trace him. Efforts are underway to arrest Shubham Lonkar, with police likely to retake custody of the five key accused for further interrogation.

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A total of 26 individuals have been arrested in this case. The accused include Shivkumar Gautam, Harish Kumar Nishad (26), Nitin Sapre (32), Ram Kanojia (43), Sambhaji Pardhi (44), Chetan Pardhi (27), Pradeep Thombre (37), Bhagwant Singh Om Singh (32), Amit Kumar (29), Rupesh Mohal (22), Karan Salve (19), Shivam Kohad (20), and Sujit Singh (32), among others. The investigation has uncovered the involvement of Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, further complicating the conspiracy.

Reports suggest that Anmol Bishnoi played a key role in the plot, with arrested accused Sujit Sushil Singh, who was apprehended in Punjab, maintaining contact with him. Notably, Anmol Bishnoi had previously been linked to firing at actor Salman Khan's residence. Acting on Singh's request, two other accused, Nitin Sapre and Ram Kanojia, reportedly conducted surveillance of Baba Siddiqui's residence and the office of Zeeshan Siddiqui. The police are currently working to determine the precise motive behind Baba Siddiqui's murder, as investigations into this complex case continue.