Mumbai: A city court on Monday (October 14) remanded, Pravin Lonkar, to the police custody till October 21 in the killing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique on October 12 in Bandra area of the city.
Baba Siddique was waylaid by three persons just outside the office of his his MLA-son Zeeshan Siddique and shot at on October 12. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.
Pravin Lonkar was arrested from Pune on Sunday
Pravin Lonkar was arrested from Pune on Sunday in connection with the murder of Baba Siddique. He is accused of enlisting two of the three alleged shooters who opened fire at Baba Siddique on October 12. According to the police, Pravin Lonkar’s brother Shubham Lonkar is allegedly associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
Pravin Lonkar needs to be taken to Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar for further probe, prosecution told court
Pravin Lonkar was produced before the court of magistrate VR Patil on Monday and after producing him before the court, the prosecution sought his custody for his interrogation to unearth the conspiracy behind the killing of Baba Siddique, submitting that his custody is required as he needs to be taken to Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar for further probe into the case. The prosecution claimed before the court that Shubham Lonkar and other wanted accused in the killing of Baba Siddique had conspired the shooting and supplied arms to the gunmen who attacked Baba Siddique on October 12.
The counsel representing Pravin Lonkar refuted the allegations of the prosecution against his client, submitting that he was being made a “scapegoat” as the police were unable to apprehend Shubham Lonkar. The counsel further submitted that there cannot be any allegations of conspiracy against his client, who runs a dairy shop.
The court, after hearing submissions from both the sides, remanded Pravin Lonkar to the police custody till October 21, news agency PTI reported.
Court earlier remanded two arrested shooters to police custody till October 21
Earlier, two arrested shooters – Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), residents of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh respectively, were remanded to police custody till October 21.
