Mumbai: Murder of Former Minister Baba Siddiqui Linked to International Syndicate, Police Chargesheet Reveals

Mumbai, 28th January 2025: The murder of former minister and MLA Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai was not a random act of violence but a carefully orchestrated crime involving an international syndicate. According to the police chargesheet, the execution was carried out by vulnerable youths lured into the plot by the promise of wealth and manipulated by gang leaders, particularly Lawrence Bishnoi, who presented himself as a social vigilante and admirer of the revolutionary Bhagat Singh.
Among the 26 arrested suspects, six have confessed to their involvement, detailing the conspiracy, recruitment of shooters, and the role of absconding gangster Anmol Bishnoi. These confessions, made before a magistrate, highlight the organized nature of the crime, and all six individuals expressed regret for their actions.
Shivkumar Gautam, identified as the main shooter, disclosed that in June 2024, Shubham Lonkar, a wanted fugitive, approached him and his accomplice Dharamraj Kashyap with an offer to earn Rs 10-15 lakh by carrying out a targeted killing. They were told the target was Baba Siddiqui or his son, Zeeshan Siddiqui. Lonkar convinced them by claiming that the Siddiquis were linked to Dawood Ibrahim and involved in bomb blasts. Gautam, a struggling migrant from Uttar Pradesh, had recently started working in the scrap trade and saw this as an opportunity to make significant money. He accepted the offer and began assembling a team.
Reflecting on his involvement, Gautam admitted, “I thought I could escape the consequences. I didn’t understand that crime leads only to death or prison. I regret my actions deeply and wish I had never accepted the money.”
Another accomplice, Harishkumar Kashyap from Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, had relocated to Pune in 2016 to work in the scrap trade with his brothers. In 2020, he started his own scrap business but struggled financially. He became involved with criminals, including Lonkar and Shubham Lonkar, who were connected to Anmol Bishnoi. They enticed him by claiming that the target was a Dawood associate linked to bombings and offered him Rs 10 lakh. Kashyap’s confession revealed his misguided motives: “I was blinded by greed. I thought I was helping my friends, but now I realize I aided in murder. I wanted to grow my business, but now I face a life behind bars.”