Bishnoi Gang Planned Baba Siddique's Murder Days after Salman Khan Shooting: Mumbai Crime Branch Uncovers Plot

The Mumbai Crime Branch has uncovered a plot by the Bishnoi gang to assassinate politician Baba Siddique, just days after a shooting incident at actor Salman Khan's residence. Initial investigations suggest that the Bishnoi gang had originally targeted Khan, but after a failed attempt, they orchestrated the shooting at his home on April 14, 2024, as an intimidation tactic. Following this, the gang shifted their focus to Khan’s close associates, with Baba Siddique emerging as the primary target.

Gang’s Covert Communication Tactics Revealed

The investigators revealed that the Bishnoi gang used a covert communication method known as "dabba calling" to coordinate the assassination. Anmol Bishnoi, a key member of the gang, employed this technique to secretly communicate with shooters Shiv Kumar Gautam, Zeeshan Akhtar, Shubham Lonkar, and Sujit Singh.

"Dabba calling" involves setting up illegal telecom exchanges to make untraceable calls, evading detection by law enforcement. The gang had reportedly established its own network, connecting 4-5 members at a time. Anmol Bishnoi would communicate with the last person on the line, creating the illusion that someone else was in charge of the conversation, thereby sidestepping police surveillance.

The Bishnoi gang has frequently relied on such advanced tactics, including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, to manage operations remotely and communicate from different locations, including prison, making it harder for authorities to track their activities.

Motive Linked to Alleged Ties with Salman Khan and Dawood Ibrahim

The motive behind the planned assassination was reportedly linked to Baba Siddique’s alleged connections with Salman Khan and notorious underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim. In a statement to the Mumbai Crime Branch, shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam revealed that he had questioned fellow gang member Shubham Lonkar about the rationale for targeting Siddique. Lonkar reportedly claimed that Siddique was involved with both Khan and Ibrahim, and suggested that he had ties to the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, which elevated his status as a significant target.​