Shooters were asked to shoot either Baba Siddique or son Zeeshan, reveals Mumbai Police

The Mumbai Police crime branch, investigating the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, reported on Saturday that the shooters attacked him while he was walking towards party workers outside the Kherwadi office of his son, Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique.

According to the police, Zeeshan was also a target but managed to get into his car just outside the office. The shooters then chose to focus on Baba Siddique, whose car was parked about 200 meters away from Zeeshan's office.

An officer revealed that police discovered photos of Zeeshan and his vehicle number on the Snapchat account of one of the suspects. When questioned, the accused admitted they were instructed to kill either Baba Siddique or his son. “During their recce, they found that it was easier to attack Baba Siddique in the 200-metre stretch when he walked to and from his vehicle,” the officer said.

When the police asked Baba Siddique's family why he chose to walk the 200-meter stretch, they explained that he preferred it because it allowed him time and space to interact with young party workers.

The police stated that, so far in their investigation, the main motive behind Baba Siddique's murder seems to be Lawrence Bishnoi's attempt to create fear in the city to start extortion activities.

An officer explained that the shooters killed Baba Siddique because they believe that killing someone makes others fearful and more likely to agree to extortion demands. However, they are also looking into the possibility that a dispute over a Slum Rehabilitation Authority project in Bandra may have played a role. In August, an FIR was filed against Zeeshan for allegedly opposing SRA officials who were trying to survey the plot.

So far, the police have arrested nine people in the case, including two who were with Shivkumar Gautam when he shot Baba Siddique. They found the Turkish-made pistol and Glock that were sent from Rajasthan and given to the shooters.

The police are currently searching for Gautam, Shubham Lonkar, and Zeeshan Akhtar, who are suspected to be in direct contact with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. An officer mentioned that they are also trying to get custody of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in Sabarmati prison in Gujarat.

The five suspects arrested in the Baba Siddique murder case initially asked for Rs 50 lakh for the job but later withdrew due to a disagreement over payment and concerns about the slain politician's influence, according to officers.