The investigation into the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique has unveiled another shocking twist. Shiv Kumar Gautam, the prime shooter arrested from Bahraich, revealed during interrogation by the Crime Branch that after carrying out the murder, he contacted the masterminds of the crime, Shubham Lonkar, Zeeshan Akhtar, and shelter provider Anurag Kashyap, using his phone. Gautam informed the trio about Baba Siddique's death during a 10-15 minute conversation. Following their instructions, he disposed of his mobile phone and an additional weapon in a drain near Thane station. Post this revelation, the Crime Branch took Gautam to the spot near the station to retrieve the discarded items.
According to senior Mumbai Crime Branch officials, Gautam reached Thane station around 11 PM on October 12, after committing the murder. He called Shubham, Zeeshan, and Anurag to inform them about the murder and his plan to visit Lilavati Hospital. On Lonkar's instructions, Gautam boarded an express train from Thane to Pune. An officer confirmed this detail through CCTV footage from the station. Gautam also disclosed to the trio that his accomplices, Dharamraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh, had been apprehended at the crime scene by Mumbai Police. During the call, Shubham instructed Anurag Kashyap to arrange shelter for Shiv Kumar and help him escape to Nepal.
Gautam further revealed his strong admiration for Shubham Lonkar, with whom he frequently spent time in Pune.
20 Live Rounds Seized from Accused Rafique Sheikh’s House
The Mumbai Crime Branch recovered 20 live rounds of ammunition from the Pune residence of Rafique Sheikh, another accused involved in the murder conspiracy. This discovery was made during Sheikh's interrogation. The ammunition was provided by Praveen Lonkar. Investigators also found that accused Aditya Gulankar had twice obtained weapons from Rupesh Mohol and Gaurav Apune, who were previously arrested in connection with the case.
Police custody for Main Shooter; 7 Sentto Judicial Custody
On Tuesday, the Crime Branch presented five accused in court after their police custody ended. The court extended the police custody of main shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam until November 23, while sending seven others, including Anurag Kashyap, Omi Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, Akhilendra Pratap Singh, Aditya Gulankar, Rafique Sheikh, and Gaurav Apune, to judicial custody. During the hearing, Gautam's lawyer, Amit Mishra, filed a plea requesting that the confession not be coerced to invoke MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act).
Shubham Lonkar’s Connection with Anmol Bishnoi
In another startling revelation, Shubham Lonkar, the alleged mastermind, was found to have been in regular contact with gangster Anmol Bishnoi. Gautam revealed that Shubham had wished Bishnoi on his birthday twice over the past two years. According to Gautam, Shubham was a trusted associate of Anmol Bishnoi, enjoying a close relationship with the notorious gangster.
The investigation continues to uncover intricate details of the conspiracy, leaving many questions unanswered.