Baba Siddique Murder Case: 5 More Arrested, Linked to Lawrence Bishnoi Gang

Mumbai – The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has arrested five additional suspects in connection with the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and businessman Baba Ziauddin Siddique, who was killed in Bandra on October 12. These arrests, made after raids in Karjat and Panvel in Raigad district, bring the total number of detained suspects to nine, authorities confirmed on Friday.

The latest arrested individuals include Sambhaji Kisan Pardhi (43) from Panvel, Ram Kanojia (44), Pradeep Thombre (37), Chetan Pardhi (from Ambernath), and Nitin Sapre (32) from Dombivli. They are charged with conspiracy and other criminal offenses. All five were produced before the Esplanade court in Mumbai, where they were remanded to police custody until October 25.

Mumbai Police Joint Commissioner of Crime, Lakhmi Gautam, revealed that one of the accused, Nitin Sapre, had been in contact with the main conspirators who supplied the weapons for Siddique’s assassination. Financial transactions were involved in the operation, after which three pistols were handed over to the killers. The crime was executed on Dassehra Day at Nirmal Nagar, Bandra East.

Investigations suggest that the accused may have connections with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has allegedly claimed responsibility for the murder. Police uncovered the role of the five arrested suspects after their phone numbers were discovered in the seized mobile devices of previously apprehended prime suspects.

During the court proceedings, defense lawyer Sheela Gupta argued that her clients were ordinary laborers wrongfully accused due to circumstantial suspicion and requested judicial custody instead of police remand. However, the Magistrate denied the plea, sending the accused to police custody for a week as investigations continue.