The Mumbai police, in a chargesheet, stated that former minister and MLA Baba Siddiqui’s murder was not just another gangland hit, but a meticulously planned crime.
A total of 26 accused have been arrested till now. The cops mentioned in the chargesheet that the murder was orchestrated by an international crime syndicate and executed by new recruits trapped in a web of greed and manipulation. According to the police, the migrant, indigent youths hired for the job were drawn by the mystique of Lawrence Bishnoi.
Lawrence projects himself as a social vigilante and a fan of the legendary revolutionary Bhagat Singh.
The Times of India, quoting police, reported that two of the accused were drawn to Bishnoi due to his admiration for Bhagat Singh, while others, facing financial difficulties, were lured by the promise of big money. Detailed confessions given by the six accused before a magistrate are now part of the chargesheet.
Their statements outline a conspiracy involving the recruitment of shooters, meticulous planning, execution, and the direct role of absconding gangster Anmol Bishnoi. All six have expressed remorse for their act.
Shivkumar Gautam, the alleged main shooter, said that in June 2024, Shubham Lonkar, a wanted accused, approached him and his accomplice Dharamraj Kashyap, with an alleged promise of Rs 10-15 lakh for a specific task.
The assignment was to assassinate Baba Siddiqui or his son, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Gautam said.
According to Gautam, Lonkar convinced them by alleging that the targets were linked to Dawood Ibrahim and involved in bomb blasts. Gautam, a struggling migrant from Uttar Pradesh seeking work, had recently secured a job in the scrap trade. He met Lonkar through Kashyap, and, enticed by the prospect of earning a substantial amount, he accepted the task and began assembling a team.
"I thought I could get away. I didn't think about the consequences. Now I know — crime only leads to two things: death or jail. I regret everything. I wish I had never taken the money," said Gautam in a statement.
In 2016, Harishkumar Kashyap moved to Pune from UP's Bahraich to work with his brothers in the scrap trade.
He launched the Balaji Scrap Center in 2020, but struggled with slow business. Facing financial strain, Kashyap got involved with criminals in the Karve Nagar area. He also got in touch with Lonkar and Shubham Lonkar, who had ties to Anmol Bishnoi.
They gave him an offer to eliminate a Dawood aide connected to bomb blasts and promised a reward of Rs 10 lakh. "I was blinded by greed. I thought I was simply helping my friends, not realizing I was aiding murderers. I wanted to expand my business, but now I’ll spend the rest of my life in jail," Kashyap admitted.
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