Police arrested five more accused in the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique following raids in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Thursday. The police said that the raid conducted by the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch nabbed three people from Panvel and two from Karjat. They were allegedly supplying firearms and providing logistical support to the ones who killed the NCP leader. Meanwhile, two shooters, Gurmail Baljit Singh and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, were arrested just after the leader was shot. These two shooters were allegedly part of the group that gunned down the NCP leader. Police arrested two shooters on Friday, a day after the shooting, taking the total number of accused to nine.
Overview of the Case
The NCP leader was shot dead outside his son’s office at around 7.30 pm on October 8, 2024, by three assailants. The suspects fled after killing the politician in Mumbai. These five accused, arrested on Friday, were part of the gang that provided the gunmen the required infrastructure. They also supplied the firearms and vehicles to the three assailants. The police said that the arrest was made after searching for the missing links in this case.
The police said that after the arrest, during interrogation, the five suspects revealed the locations of illegal firearms. There were also key information on their meetings with the shooters at the first spot. Five more suspects were arrested following raids in Raigad district These suspects had provided logistic support to the murderers of the NCP leader. A search operation was being carried out in Panvel and Karjat These suspects supplied firearms and other arms and ammunitions and vehicles to the shooters.
Latest Arrests and Raids
On Friday, October 17, 2024, police arrested five more suspects believed to have played supportive roles in the assassination plot. These individuals allegedly provided critical supplies such as firearms and vehicles to the shooters. According to information with sources close to the investigation, such apprehensions were made open-heartedly after a long search and surveillance through intelligence-gathering. The pick-ups were made from Panvel and Karjat-two places near Mumbai.
The five have more than just been identified as the latest plotters within the conspiracy to carry out the murder of Siddique. Investigators reckon the assassination plot was premeditated and these suspects were involved in collecting weapons and helping the gunmen flee after committing the crime. The Crime Branch is now focusing on expanding its view on the conspiracy since money and politics might have been involved in the assassination.
Previous Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Four suspects had been arrested prior to yet another round of arrests. These included two gunmen and one Pravin Lonkar-the co-conspirator-one from Pune. Investigators continued to develop clues and suspects, who they believe may have assisted in orchestrating the attack.
The motive behind Siddique’s murder is suspected to be politically driven. Siddique, a former minister and influential leader in Maharashtra, was known to have been politically staunch. And investigators were looking into whether that was a factor in the killing. The Crime Branch was coordinating with other state agencies collecting information about the mastermind behind the crime.
As nine individuals are arrested in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Baba Siddique, immense conspiracy with political connection opens up before the unpeeling- a shadow web of intrigue. Mumbai Crime Branch remains on its bid to bring all those involved before the courts of law and to make such a high-profile assassination go unavenged.
