Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead by three men in Mumbai's Bandra East area on Saturday night.
Police have arrested two of the alleged assailants, identified as Haryana residence Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) and Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), while another accused is on the run and efforts are on to trace him, as per officials.
The high-profile murder in the country's financial capital has raised eyebrows over the law and order situation, as Maharashtra for assembly elections in the coming weeks.
Opposition parties hit out at the ruling-Mahayuti government following Siddique's murder and called for the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Mumbai police have launched a probe into the killing of Siddique from different angles, including a possible contract killing, business rivalry or threat over a slum rehabilitation project, officials earlier said.
A team from the Delhi Police's Special Cell has also been dispatched to Mumbai to assist in the investigation, police sources said.
Meanwhile, Police officials also say they have come across a viral post on social media in the name of an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claiming responsibility for Baba Siddique's murder.
Who is Baba Siddique?
Siddique was a former Maharashtra cabinet minister and served as an MLA for three consecutive terms in 1999, 2004 and 2009. His son Zeeshan Siddique is currently the Congress MLA from Mumbai.
The 66-year-old was a prominent Muslim leader from Mumbai and a well-known figure in Bollywood circles, maintaining close associations with several stars, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Sanjay Dutt.
He had also earned praise for supplying life-saving medicines to patients during the Covid pandemic.
His annual iftar parties evolved into major events, drawing attendance from prominent figures in the film industry and highlighting his influence in both political and entertainment circles.
While quitting the Congress to join the NCP in February this year, Baba Siddique had not cited any reason for his decision to leave the Grand Old Party, only stating "some things are better left unsaid."
With his joining the NCP, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP had received a boost ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
NCP leaders were banking on Siddique to be instrumental in spreading the party's wings in Mumbai especially in the Muslim dominated wards for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
What we know on the assassination?
The NCP leader was waylaid by three persons at Kher Nagar in Mumbai's Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office and shot at on Saturday night around 9:30 pm.
Siddique was shifted to the Lilavati Hospital's emergency medical services in an unresponsive condition with no pulse, no cardiac activity, no blood pressure, and with a history of gunshot wounds on the chest, officials from the medical facility said.
According to the doctors at the hospital, Siddique sustained two gunshot wounds to his chest before being brought for emergency treatment.
He had lost a lot of blood and resuscitation was initiated immediately. He was shifted to the ICU where further attempts for revival were made. Despite all resuscitative efforts, doctors were unable to revive him and he was declared dead at 11.27 pm on Saturday, they said.
Six rounds of bullets fired, three hit Siddique
The Mumbai Crime Branch said on Sunday that a total of six rounds of bullets were fired at Siddique, out of which three hit him. The shooters used a 9.9mm pistol, which was recovered by police from the crime scene.
A Mumbai Police official said the NCP leader's murder is suspected to be a pre-planned act and that the accused were paid in advance and got delivered their weapons a few days ago.
Sources said the suspects had been monitoring Siddique for months, conducting reconnaissance of his residence and office. They were paid Rs 50,000 each in advance for the attack and the weapons had been delivered to them only days before the attack.
On Sunday morning, Siddique's body was shifted from the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra to Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle for an autopsy. The body was later taken to his home at Maqba Heights in Bandra where people will be allowed to pay their last respects to Siddique in the evening.
Siddique's mortal remains will be buried at Bada Kabrastan in Marine Lines area after 8.30 pm on Sunday following Namaz-E-Isha, an official said.
CM Shinde announced that the NCP leader will receive a full state funeral.
Bishnoi gang claims responsibility, issues more threats
A Facebook post, purportedly by Bishnoi's gang member, claimed that the murder was due to Siddique’s ties with Bollywood actor Salman Khan and underworld figures Anuj Thapan and Dawood Ibrahim.
Bishnoi, who is currently in jail, is the gangster who claimed responsibility for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022.
The post by Shubuu Lonkar Maharashtra wrote, "Om, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat I understand the value of life, consider wealth and the body as dust. I did only what was right, honoured the duty of friendship. Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life. Today those praising Baba Siddique or was with Dawood under the MCOCA Act. The reason for his death was his linking of Dawood and Anuj Thapan to Bollywood, politics, and property dealings."
The post goes onto say, "We have no enmity with anyone. However, anyone who helps Salman Khan or the Dawood gang should be prepared. If anyone gets any of our brothers killed, we will definitely respond. We never strike first. Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat, salute to the martyrs."
The veracity of the post is yet to be confirmed by the police.
"We have seen the viral social media post, we are verifying its authenticity," a police official said.
The Salman factor
Notably, Salman Khan, with whom Siddique had a close association, has faced repeated threats from the Bishnoi gang. It was Khan whose support led him to become MLA from Bandra West.
Siddique is also known to play an important role in reconciling Salman and Shahrukh Khan after their famous fight at a club years ago. It was Baba who called the Khans to his iftaar party and played bridge between them.
The NCP leader's killing comes months after an assassination attempt on Khan, when two shooters fired five rounds outside the actor's Galaxy Apartment in Bandra on April 14.
The assailants, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, were later arrested in Gujarat. The Mumbai Police, in a charge sheet, stated that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had links to the shooters.
The Mumbai Police on Sunday increased its security presence outside the bollywood star's apartment amid threats from the Bishnoi gang.
Notably, Salman had visited the Lilavati Hospital late on Saturday night to offer his condolences and meet the family of Siddique.
(With additional inputs from PTI, ANI and IANS)