Mumbai: Mumbai Police Crime Branch has formed 15 teams to probe the killing of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. On Sunday, police also told a local court here that two pistols and 28 live bullets were recovered from the two accused held from the crime scene.
Addressing the media, Datta Nalawade, DCP (Crime Branch) said four suspects have been identified, including the two arrested from the scene of the crime. One of them, 23-year-old Gurmail Singh, has been remanded to police custody till 21 October, while the local court has ordered conduct a bone ossification test of the other to determine his age.
The third accused, who was also at the scene of crime, is still at large, said DCP Nalawade, adding, “There is a fourth accused too who we think is the mastermind. We have identified all four and are verifying their records.”
Siddique, the 65-year-old who joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in February this year after nearly five decades with the Congress, was shot dead outside his Congress MLA son Zeeshan’s office in Bandra East around 9.15 pm Saturday.
According to DCP Nalawade, officers led by assistant police inspector (API) Rajendra Dabhade apprehended two of the three assailants on the spot with pistols.
Nalawade also clarified Sunday that Siddique had been provided with non-categorised security, which included three personnel. However, at the time of the incident, only one police officer was present with him.
Sources in the Crime Branch told ThePrint that the three accused who were at the scene of crime, including one who is still on the run and has been identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam, had been living in a rented house in Kurla.
They had been promised an amount upward of Rs 2 lakh to kill Baba Siddique and had received a token amount of Rs 50,000, it is learnt. Sources also said the trio conducted recces of Siddique’s residence and office for over a month before executing their plan.
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What happened in court
Earlier in the day, the two accused held from the scene of crime were taken for medical examination before being produced at Mumbai’s Esplanade Court. While Gurmail Singh was sent to seven days’ police custody, the second accused challenged the police’s submission based on his Aadhaar card that he was 19-years-old, claiming instead that he was a minor.
When asked about the second accused’s additional documents, the public prosecutor submitted to the court that only the Aadhaar card was found during the process of filing the panchnama and noted that the investigation is still in its early stages. The court then ordered a bone ossification test to determine the age of the second accused.
Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC), which is leading the probe, submitted that 28 live bullets were recovered from the two accused, six of which had been fired. The AEC also noted that some details could not be disclosed in open court and presented the case diary to the magistrate.
While seeking 14-day custody for the two, public prosecutor Gautam Gaikwad emphasised the premeditated nature of the crime, stating that the accused may have received logistical support. He further pointed out the need to investigate the source of the firearms, training, and potential political motives, especially given the proximity to state elections.
“This is a senior politician who has been killed. Accused are from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh; they stayed in Pune and Mumbai during the planning phase. To ensure a thorough investigation and prevent further crimes, 14 days of custody is essential,” he submitted.
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