Police Nabs Main Shooter of Lawrence Bishnoi Gang in Baba Siddique Murder Case

In a joint operation launched by the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) the main accused in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, Shiv Kumar Gautam alias Shiva was arrested on Sunday. The main shooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was nabbed along with four of his associates from the Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force narrowed down on Shiva following intelligence inputs that he was in the Nanpara area of Bahraich, planning to flee to Nepal. 

The arrested individuals have been identified as: Shiv Kumar Gautam alias Shiva, the main shooter, Anurag Kashyap, the brother of shooter Dharmraj Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava and Akhilendra Pratap Singh.

Confession of Shiva, the main shooter in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique:

According to the Uttar Pradesh police, during interrogation, Shiv Kumar revealed that he was involved in the murder of Baba Siddique on the orders from Lawrence Bishnoi, facilitated by Bishnoi's associate, Shubham Lonkar from Maharashtra, and Mohammad Yaseen Akhtar from Jalandhar. "I was staying in Pune, where I used to work in the scrap business. My scrap shop and that of Shubham Lonkar's dairy shop were adjacent to each other. Shubham Lonkar works for Lawrence Bishnoi. He has connected me with Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, Anmol Bishnoi, several times through Snapchat," said Kumar. 

Lonkar and Yasheen Akhtar provided the shooters with logistical support, including weapons, SIM cards, and mobile phones. Kumar disclosed that he was promised a payment of Rs 10 lakh for the murder, with continued financial support thereafter. "After the murder, new SIM cards and mobile phones were given to all three shooters for communication," he added. 

The accused stated that he had been tracking Baba Siddique's movements for days, and on the night of the incident, they saw a window of opportunity owing to the festival crowd and reduced police presence. After committing the crime, Kumar fled the scene, discarding his phone and taking a route from Mumbai to Pune, then through Jhansi and Lucknow, finally reaching Bahraich. "From time to time, I borrowed phones from strangers to speak with my associates and handlers. I spoke with Anurag Kashyap using a phone borrowed from a passenger on a train. He informed me that Akhilendra, Gyan Prakash, and Akash had arranged for me to hide in Nepal. That is why I came to Bahraich and was planning to flee to Nepal with my associates. The other members also agreed to this plan," said Shiv Kumar. 

STF and Crime Branch Operation:

Following a request from the Mumbai Police on October 23, the accused was apprehended at the Harabhasri Canal Bridge in Nanpara, Bahraich on November 10.

Shiv Kumar and the four others have been handed over to the Nanpara Police Station, Bahraich. The Mumbai Crime Branch will now proceed with further legal action as the investigation continues to unravel the conspiracy behind the murder, believed to have been orchestrated by Lawrence Bishnoi from prison.

On the night of 12th October 2024, Baba Siddique was shot dead after six rounds of bullets were fired by Shiv Kumar Gautam outside the office of his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique in Mumbai. 

The case registered under Nirmal Nagar Police Station in Thane cited sections 103(1), 109, 125, 3(5) of the BNS Act, and the Arms Act. Two shooters, Dharmraj Kashyap and Gurmel Singh, were arrested, while Shiv Kumar had managed to escape.

A total of 23 people have been arrested so far in connection with this case. However, Shubham Lonkar and Zeeshan Akhtar remain wanted by the authorities.