Accused did recce of Baba Siddique's house, monitored him for months: Mumbai Police

MUMBAI: Mumbai police arrested two men in connection with the shooting of NCP leader and former Maharashtra MLA Baba Siddique in Bandra (East) on Saturday night.
The accused, Gurmel Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh, both in their 20s, are currently in police custody and will be presented before the Esplanade Court by noon today, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The accused had done recce of Baba Siddiqui's house and office premises, they were in Mumbai for one and a half to two months and were keeping an eye on him.
The police are also on the lookout for a third suspect, believed to have fled the scene after the attack.
The shooting occurred around 9.30pm near Siddique's son Zeeshan’s office in Bandra, when three assailants arrived on foot and opened fire as the 66-year-old leader was getting into his vehicle.
He sustained bullet injuries to his chest and was declared dead on arrival at Lilavati Hospital. While two of the attackers were apprehended by members of the public and police, the dense locality prevented them from fleeing the scene.
A senior crime branch official said, "We are inquiring whether this was the handiwork of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, but we want to be sure."
The arrested men, however, are claiming innocence and shifting blame to the third suspect who managed to escape.

Police are still probing the exact motive behind Siddique's murder, and one line of inquiry is a possible connection to a dispute involving the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), in which Siddique was involved.
Additionally, given Siddique’s close ties with actor Salman Khan, who had been previously threatened by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, police are examining if there is any gang involvement in the killing.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde expressed shock and concern over the incident, calling it "extremely unfortunate." He assured the public that swift action would be taken, with the third accused expected to be caught soon. "The police are actively chasing the third accused, and all three will be tried in a fast-track court," Shinde stated.
Sharad Pawar, chief of the NCP, voiced his concern over the situation, questioning the government’s handling of law and order. “If the ruling side and home minister continue to run the government with this softness, it’s an alarming sign,” he remarked, calling for greater accountability.
Siddique's contributions
Siddique, a three-time MLA from Bandra West, had been granted Y-category security 15 days prior to his murder after receiving threats. Despite being provided with a personal security officer, no one else was injured during the attack.
Siddique had joined Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP earlier this year after leaving the Congress, where he had been a prominent figure for over four decades.
Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area to piece together the exact sequence of events. The body of Siddique was transferred to Cooper Hospital for post-mortem on Sunday morning, as a large crowd of politicians, celebrities, and supporters gathered at Lilavati Hospital overnight to pay their respects.
The case is drawing increasing attention, not only for Siddique’s political prominence but also for the potential involvement of organized criminal elements in the killing.