Mumbai, India — Police have detained five individuals, including a man named Gautam, in the killing of former minister Baba Siddique, an event marked by its potential links to Bollywood star Salman Khan and fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The murder, unfolding amid the backdrop of Mumbai’s complex underworld, may also be tied to contentions over slum redevelopment initiatives, according to preliminary investigations.
According to police reports, Gautam, alleged to be the gunman, claimed he was instructed to execute Siddique due to the politician’s relationships with Khan and Ibrahim. He was purportedly promised 10 lakh rupees, a trip abroad, and a sustenance allowance for his participation. Police have identified gangster Anmol Bishnoi as the alleged orchestrator, seeking to solidify his influence in Mumbai’s underworld landscape.
Apart from Gautam, law enforcement has in custody Anuragh Kashyap, Gyan Tripathi, Akash Srivastav, and Akhilendra Pratap Singh, all of whom appeared before the 37th Metropolitan Magistrate court. They are to remain under police watch till November 19 as investigators delve deeper into the case. Notably, key suspects Shubham Lonkar and Zeeshan Akhtar are still evading capture, with suspicions that Lonkar played a pivotal role in inciting Gautam through inflammatory rhetoric.
Investigators are probing a potential correlation between Siddique’s assassination and disputes concerning the Slum Rehabilitation Authority projects. The incident, which resulted in Siddique’s death on October 12 outside his son’s office in Bandra (E), seems intertwined with Mumbai’s ongoing housing project issues. Subsequent to the murder, Lonkar allegedly posted ambiguous warnings on social media, subtly implicating Khan and advising caution to his associates and those of Ibrahim.
Further insight into the case reveals Gautam’s calculated escape post-assassination, which saw him traveling extensively by public transportation to avoid capture. Eventually caught near the UP-Nepal border in Nanpara, Gautam exhibited no remorse, as per police sources. His movements post-crime included a rickshaw ride to Kurla, followed by a train journey from Thane to Pune and onwards to Lucknow, maintaining contact with Bishnoi’s brother in Canada through the duration.
Authorities are handling the testimonies and evidence with due diligence, recognizing the layers of clouding interests and the high-profile nature of this murder case. The linkages to Bollywood and reputed gang activities have heightened the case’s sensitivity, prompting a thorough investigation to discern the full scope of these criminal networks and potential instigations.
As this complex case unravels, the community watches closely, aware that the outcomes could have broad implications extending well beyond the immediate judicial proceedings, touching on the intertwining of show business, politics, and organized crime in the region.