Baba Siddique murder accused Zeeshan Akhtar tracked down in Canada: Mumbai Police

Nearly eight months after the high-profile assassination of NCP leader Baba Siddique, Mumbai Police sources say they have tracked down Zeeshan Akhtar — one of the prime accused — in Canada.

Though official confirmation is pending, top crime branch officers suggest the breakthrough could help unravel the final missing links in the case that shook Maharashtra’s political and criminal landscape.

“While there has been no formal communication from Canadian authorities yet, our internal sources confirm that Zeeshan Akhtar has been detained,” a senior Mumbai Police officer was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “We are currently awaiting official confirmation.”

Akhtar was named in the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Crime Branch in connection with the October 12, 2024, murder of Baba Siddique, who was shot dead outside the Bandra East office of his son, former MLA Zeeshan Siddique. Two men were arrested at the spot, but the main shooter escaped and was later apprehended. In all, 26 people have been arrested in the case.

The police investigation revealed that Akhtar, along with another accused Shubham Lonkar, was hired by gangster Anmol Bishnoi to execute the contract killing. While several other operatives — including shooters — were arrested in the months that followed, Akhtar and Lonkar managed to evade capture.

Officials said Akhtar was previously traced to Nepal, but vanished soon after. His suspected presence in Canada is the first solid lead since then, reviving efforts for extradition and closure in the politically sensitive murder case.