Mumbai: The total arrests in NCP leader Baba Siddiqui’s murder went up to 14 after the police arrested four more accused including a man from Haryana who is believed to be a crucial link between the shooters and the mastermind of the assassination plot Zeeshan Akhtar.
Amit Hisamsing Kumar, 29, was apprehended in Haryana, while three others were arrested in Pune late Wednesday evening, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 14.
The arrested individuals from Pune have been identified as Rupesh Rajendra Mohol, 22, Karan Rahul Salve, 19, and Shivam Arvind Kohad, 20, all of whom are local residents, a police official said.
Amit Kumar is suspected of being involved in planning and executing the murder conspiracy. Authorities are also investigating potential financial transactions between him and the other accused, the official added.
Cops trace link to mastermind Zeeshan Akhtar
Kumar is a key connection between Gurmail Singh, one of the shooters currently in custody, and the alleged mastermind, Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar, who remains at large, according to police. Initial investigations suggest that Akhtar served as the common link between the shooters and the murder conspirators, the official stated.
Kumar was arrested by a crime branch team in Haryana on Tuesday evening and brought to Mumbai on Wednesday morning. He has been remanded in police custody until November 4.
Baba Siddique, 66, was shot dead outside the office of his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique in Mumbai’s Bandra area on October 12.
Murder motive yet to be ascertained
Investigators have yet to determine the exact motive behind the murder and are exploring multiple angles, including contract killing, business rivalry, and possible threats related to a slum rehabilitation project in Mumbai.
Among those arrested are two suspected shooters, Dharmaraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh, while the main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, and two other conspirators remain at large.
Preliminary investigations revealed that a five-member contract killing module based in Thane was initially tasked with assassinating the former Maharashtra minister. However, the group backed out due to disagreements over demanding Rs 50 lakh for the hit, as well as concerns over the political influence of the victim. Despite this, they still provided logistical and other support for the murder, according to police.
