Mumbai police detain key accused in Baba Siddique murder

In one of the most significant developments in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Mumbai Police have detained Shivkumar Gautam, the primary shooter. Police linked the arrest to late-night phone calls and chats among a group of close friends.

While attempting to flee the country, Gautam was arrested on Nov 10 in the Nanpara district of Uttar Pradesh, near the Nepal border.

The Mumbai Crime Branch and the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) also arrested Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhilendra Pratap Singh.

The investigation began after the police noticed suspicious behavior among Gautam's associates. These individuals were seen purchasing clothing in various sizes and preparing to meet him in a remote forest area about 10 kilometers from Nanpara.

According to the police, it quickly became clear that the group was helping Gautam escape to Nepal.

The group had been in constant contact with Gautam via internet calls made from mobile phones purchased in Lucknow. Their late-night chats drew the attention of officials, prompting further surveillance.

These tech-savvy individuals had purchased clothing in advance of Gautam's escape, according to the surveillance. The police started monitoring their movements closely.

On the evening of Oct 12, after shooting NCP politician Baba Siddique in Mumbai, Shivkumar fled the scene and traveled to Kurla, where he took a local train to Thane.

According to officials, he discarded his phone and a bag during the journey. On Oct 13, he reached Pune before boarding a train to Lucknow.

During his travels, Gautam used the phones of other passengers to call his handlers. After confirming Siddique’s death through the news, he made his way to his hometown of Bahraich, eventually reaching Nanpara, where he hid in an isolated location near the Nepal border.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam said, “The main accused (Shivkumar) has been arrested from UP. A dedicated team of four officers tracked him for 28 days. With the help of UP STF, we were able to arrest him.”

“The other accused helped him stay off the radar and were planning to cross into Nepal with him,” DCP Datta Nalawade added.

Gautam's four associates had purchased several sets of clothing in various sizes from a Nanpara store just days before the arrest. They attempted to meet Gautam on Nov 10.

The authorities stopped them on a bridge just outside Nanpara. Police subsequently located Gautam’s hiding place in a secluded village and detained him after arresting the group.

Shiv Kumar revealed that the murder was carried out under the orders of Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, Anmol Bishnoi.

He further alleged that Shubham Lonkar, a close aide of Lawrence Bishnoi, facilitated his communication with Anmol Bishnoi on several occasions.

The Mumbai Police had previously stated that Anmol Bishnoi had been in contact with Baba Siddique’s shooter prior to the murder.

The authorities also claimed that Anmol Bishnoi communicated with the accused via the social media app Snapchat.

Additionally, he had shared a photo of Baba Siddique’s son, Zeeshan Siddique, with the shooter.

Anmol Bishnoi, also known as 'Bhanu', fled India using a fake passport and was tracked down in Kenya last year before being located in Canada earlier this year.

Baba Siddique was shot by three assailants near his son’s office in Nirmal Nagar, Mumbai, on Oct 12. The NCP leader was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead.