New Delhi: Zeeshan Akhtar, one of the main accused in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, has been arrested in Canada. Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam on Wednesday night said that Indian government has started the process to bring him back to India.
Akhtar, 22, was reportedly arrested in Canada in connection with a fake passport case, according to sources quoted by the PTI news agency. Once he is brought back to India, police officials will question him further regarding his role in Siddique’s murder.
What happened on October 12
On the night of October 12, 2024, Baba Siddique was shot dead by three armed men near his son and MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Nirmal Nagar, Bandra East, Mumbai.
Around 9.15 pm, Siddique was leaving the office when the main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, fired six bullets, three of which struck Siddique in the upper body. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but could not survive.
The other two attackers, Dharmaraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh, were caught shortly after the shooting. Their arrests led to a broader police crackdown, and 24 more people were taken into custody as part of the investigation.
Gangster involvement
According to the police charge sheet, the murder was planned by Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Anmol allegedly gave the contract to kill Baba Siddique to Zeeshan Akhtar and another man named Shubham Lonkar. The motive, police say, was to show Anmol’s power and influence in Mumbai’s underworld.
In a statement to the police, Siddique’s son, Zeeshan Siddique, claimed that some builders and political figures could also be involved. He pointed to disputes over slum rehabilitation (SRA) projects in the Bandra area as a possible reason behind the conspiracy. His statement has been added to the official police charge sheet.
