In a new revelation by the Mumbai Crime Branch investigating the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui, it has emerged that one of the shooters in the case, Gaurav Vilas Apune, traveled to Jharkhand to practice shooting as part of the Bishnoi gang's "Plan B." Apune was accompanied by Rupesh Mohol, another suspect already under arrest, and the two practiced firing rounds in Jharkhand. It was Shubham Lonkar, the mastermind behind the operation, who arranged for their shooting practice and provided the firearms. However, Crime Branch officials are still trying to pinpoint the exact location in Jharkhand where the practice took place. Apune, who was arrested on November 5, revealed this shocking information during questioning.
According to sources within the Mumbai Crime Branch, Gaurav Apune and Rupesh Mohol traveled to Jharkhand on July 28, 2024, where they practiced firing for a day. They returned to Pune on July 29 and remained in contact with Shubham Lonkar. A Crime Branch officer revealed that before leaving for Jharkhand, Apune told his family he was going on a picnic to Ujjain with friends, leaving them unaware of his involvement in the murder plot and plans for shooting practice.
Another shocking revelation has come to light in the Crime Branch investigation. The probe found that Shubham Lonkar, following orders from the Bishnoi gang, promised four major rewards to the four arrested suspects involved in the murder plot — Rupesh Mohol, Karan Salve, Shivam Kohad, and Gaurav Apune. They were promised Rs. 25 lakh each, an apartment, a car, and a trip to Dubai as a reward for executing Baba’s murder. Investigations also revealed that a total of six shooters were recruited for “Plan B,” with these four enticed by the promise of lucrative rewards.
Two More Arrested from Pune in BabaSiddiqui Murder Case
In another development, the Crime Branch has arrested two more suspects, Rafiq Niyaz Sheikh (22) and Aditya Raju Gulankar (22), from the Karvenagar area of Pune, accusing them of being part of the conspiracy to kill Baba Siddiqui. The investigation revealed that the two were in contact with earlier-arrested suspects Praveen Lonkar and Rupesh Mohol. Praveen and Rupesh had provided them with a 9mm pistol and rounds intended for use in the crime. During prior investigations, the 9mm pistol was recovered, and officials suspect that these two suspects might have an additional 40 live cartridges, which they are actively trying to locate. Both accused also reportedly practiced shooting in the Khadakwasla Dam area in Pune at the instruction of Shubham and Praveen Lonkar and were recruited as shooters in “Plan B” to kill Baba.
It was also revealed that the pistol seized from Pune had passed through multiple hands: Praveen Lonkar initially gave it to Rupesh Mohol, who then passed it to Aditya Gulankar, who then handed it to Rafiq Sheikh, who returned it to Mohol. Finally, Mohol gave it to Shivam Kohad for safekeeping, and the pistol was ultimately recovered from Kohad’s residence. Further investigation revealed that the two newly arrested suspects were in constant contact with the Lonkar brothers.
5Pistolsand64LiveCartridgesSeizedSoFar
So far, the Crime Branch has seized five pistols and 64 live cartridges in connection with the case. Of these, three pistols were recovered from Mumbai, one from Panvel, and one from Pune. The Crime Branch suspects that another pistol and around 40 live cartridges may still be in circulation and is working to locate them.