‘Baba Siddique murder plot hatched in Pune; shooters were given his photo and Rs 50,000’

Key suspects arrested, hunt for shooter continues

MUMBAI: The conspiracy to murder NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was meticulously hatched in Pune, with several key players coordinating the fatal plan. The police have uncovered significant details, revealing a premeditated plot involving multiple individuals, including local handlers, financiers, and hired shooters.

Baba Siddique, aged 66, was shot dead on Saturday night outside the office of his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique in Bandra, Mumbai. The Mumbai crime branch, which has taken over the case, is now delving deeper into the role of Pune-based brothers Pravin and Shubham Lonkar, believed to be at the centre of the conspiracy.

According to police reports, the conspiracy took shape over several weeks in Pune, where the Lonkar brothers allegedly orchestrated meetings and financed the hired shooters. Pravin Lonkar, who worked at a dairy owned by his brother Shubham, was identified as the key planner who recruited two shooters: Shivkumar Gautam and Dharmaraj Kashyap. Gautam and Kashyap, who had ties to a local scrap shop, were promised substantial payment for their involvement.

Police revealed that the shooters received an advance of Rs 50,000 each and a motorcycle for reconnaissance, which they used to track Baba Siddique's movements and routine in the days leading up to the assassination.

The Lonkar brothers not only provided financial support but also supplied the shooters with a photograph and a flex banner for accurate target identification. Their role as coordinators in this crime is now under intense scrutiny as investigators work to unravel the full extent of their involvement.