Crime Branch’s 4,500-page charge sheet rules out SRA angle; says NCP leader’s proximity to Salman was main reason he was targetted
Salman Khan and Baba Siddique at an Iftaar party in 2022. Pic/Anurag Ahire
The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch on Monday submitted a 4,590-page detailed charge sheet against 26 arrested individuals and three wanted suspects in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique. The charge sheet dismisses the SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) angle as a possible motive for the murder, a claim previously made by Siddique’s son, former Bandra East MLA Zeeshan.
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According to the Crime Branch, three motives have emerged in the case.
1. Siddique’s Salman Khan connection: Siddique’s close association with Salman Khan, a prime target of the Bishnoi gang, allegedly made him a victim. Due to Khan’s high security, the gang targeted Siddique to send a message to the actor.
Salman Khan leaving Baba Siddique’s residence after paying his respects in Bandra. File pics/Anurag Ahire
2. Gang dominance in Mumbai: The Bishnoi gang sought to assert its dominance in the city, sending a signal to Bollywood and the business community to comply with their extortion racket.
3. Revenge for Anuj Thapan: The gang allegedly avenged the death of Anuj Thapan, who died by suicide while in police custody after being arrested in connection with a shooting targeting Salman Khan. The gang believes he was murdered in custody, and Salman Khan was allegedly involved. To send a warning, they targeted Siddique, a close associate of the actor.
The charge sheet, submitted to the special MCOCA court, includes 180 witnesses, 74 statements recorded under Section 180 of the BNSS, and 14 statements recorded under Section 183 of the BNSS. Approximately 20 teams worked on the case, leading to the seizure of six firearms. These included:
>> A Turkish-made weapon used by the main shooter, Shiv Kumar Gautam, to kill Baba Siddique on October 12.
>> An Austrian-made Glock pistol and a country-made pistol recovered from shooters Gurnail Singh and Dharmaraj Kashyap.
>> Three additional pistols were seized from other accused individuals.
The investigation also recovered 84 rounds of ammunition, six magazines, and 35 mobile phones.
Original target Salman
Salman Khan and Baba Siddique at an Iftaar party in 2022
The charge sheet states that the shooters were originally tasked with assassinating Salman Khan. When they failed to get close to him, they targeted Baba Siddique and his son, Zeeshan. On October 12, both father and son were at their Bandra East office discussing the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Zeeshan parked his car directly in front of the office and went inside, while Baba parked his car a few hundred metres away. After the meeting, Zeeshan left moments before Baba, who was then attacked at close range by the shooters. Two bullets struck his chest, and he succumbed to his injuries at Lilavati Hospital.
The charge sheet reveals that the shooters initially planned to target Baba Siddique during Ganesh Visarjan but failed. They then stayed in Kurla for a month, conducting reconnaissance before the assassination. Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol Bishnoi—arrested in California—has been identified as the mastermind. The investigation uncovered direct conversations between Anmol and the shooters. The Crime Branch stated that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s name has not appeared in the ongoing investigation so far.
Key conspirators
Zeeshan Akhtar and Shubham Lonkar have been named as key conspirators who allegedly hired the shooters on Anmol Bishnoi’s instructions. They reportedly offered the shooters significant monetary rewards, foreign trips, and flats in exchange for killing Baba Siddique. The investigation revealed a Rs 17-lakh transaction as part of the conspiracy.
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