‘Baba Siddique had links with Dawood,’ arrested shooter from Lawrence Bishnoi gang claims | India News

NEW DELHI: A shooter from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Yogesh, was arrested in Uttar Pradesh a month ago for the murder of gym owner Nadir Shah in Delhi.
Although not linked to the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai, Yogesh claimed that Siddique was targeted because he was not a good man and had connections with India’s most-wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim.
“Baba Siddique was killed because he was not a good man.There were charges against him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). It is said that he was associated with Dawood, the man behind the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts,” news agency PTI quoted Yogesh as saying.
“When people get involved with such individuals, something is bound to happen. This is exactly what happened to Siddique,” Yogesh alias Raju claimed. The shooter added, “It’s said that Baba Siddique had connections with Dawood Ibrahim.”
When questioned about whether individuals like Baba Siddique are specifically identified or if surveillance is conducted, the suspect responded, “Nowadays, with mobile phones, the internet, and tools like Google, we can learn a lot about someone through these resources.”
Interestingly, it was also revealed that the shooters learnt to use firearms by watching YouTube videos.
He also mentioned that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang operates not for financial gain, but out of a sense of brotherhood. “Our gang is vast, and everything is done in the spirit of brotherhood,” he said.
Nine arrests made in a week
In collaboration with various teams, police authorities have arrested nine individuals in the week following the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, who was shot outside the office of his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, in Mumbai’s upscale Bandra area.
On Friday, the Mumbai crime branch apprehended five suspected members of the Maharashtra faction of Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang, believed to be involved in the killing, bringing the total number of arrests to nine.

These five individuals are suspected of providing weapons, including pistols from Turkey, Australia, and locally made ones, to the shooters. They also handled logistics, accommodation, and financial support for the murder, according to a senior crime branch official.
“When Kashyap and Gautam arrived in Karjat, these arrested suspects arranged their accommodation in mid-August. This group provided the logistics and funds for the shooters. In mid-September, they supplied three weapons, which have since been seized, to the killers. We are also investigating whether the five suspects had visited Mumbai before Siddique’s murder,” said a police officer.

One of the suspect had Zeeshan’s photo

Mumbai police have revealed that the shooters and conspirators involved in the Baba Siddique murder case used Snapchat to communicate.
Authorities also discovered a photo of Zeeshan Siddique, the son of the deceased NCP leader, on the phone of one of the accused. The photo reportedly was sent to the suspect via Snapchat by their handler.
This information from the police comes amid suspicions that the killers also planned to target Zeeshan, who currently serves as the Congress MLA for Bandra West.
Ram Kanojia, one of the arrested suspects, confessed that he was initially offered the contract to assassinate Baba Siddique, for which he demanded one crore rupees, according to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Zeeshan on Friday shared a cryptic message on X, stating, “Not all that is hidden sleeps, Nor all that is visible speaks.” Previously, he had urged people not to politicize his father’s death and asked for justice for his family.

On Friday, Zeeshan met with Maharashtra deputy CM and home minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the investigation into his father’s murder and was briefed on the progress made by the police. Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, joint commissioner of crime Lakhmi Gautam and the DCP of the Mumbai crime branch were also present during the meeting.

Constable suspended for security lapse

The Mumbai police has suspended constable Shyam Sonawane who was on duty guarding Baba Siddique when he was shot. Sonawane, from the protection branch, failed to respond when bullets were fired at Siddique. Sonawane told cops that the accused used pepper spray and burst crackers and hence, he became confused.
“He said he could not see due to the smoke, which hindered him from taking defensive action,” said a cop.