Baba Siddique murder: Mumbai Police makes another arrest, UP based scrap dealer held

Baba Siddique. File pic

The Mumbai Police on Tuesday said that it has made an another arrest in connection with the Baba Siddique murder case.

"A 23-year-old Uttar Pradesh based scrap dealer was held in the matter," said an official.

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The accused was identified as Harishkumar Balakram (23), hailing from Bahraich in UP was held by Mumbai Police, the official said.

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead on Saturday night in Nirmal Nagar area outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office. He was later rushed to the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra where he was declared dead.

Harishkumar Balakram was working as a scrap dealer in Maharashtra's Pune district, the official said, adding that he was nabbed from Bahraich.

"He was also part of the conspiracy to kill Siddique, supplied money and other logistics," the official said.

With the arrest of Balakram, four persons have so far been arrested in connection with Baba Siddique murder case.

The police had earlier arrested Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), both alleged shooters and "co-conspirator" Pravin Lonkar from Pune.

Another suspected shooter Shivkumar Gautam, who hails from Bahraich, is on the run.

Meanwhile, a Mumbai court on Monday remanded Pravin Lonkar, arrested in connection with Baba Siddique's murder, in seven-day police custody till October 21.

28-year-old Pravin Lonkar was arrested from Pune on Sunday. He is allegedly one of the conspirators of Baba Siddique murder case was produced before the Esplanade court on Monday, sources said.

The police suspect that Pravin Lonkar was a part of the entire conspiracy and him along with other two arrested accused to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan for further investigations, sources said.

Sources added that the police also suspect that Pravin may know where his bother has been hiding.

Shubham Lonkar, who claimed responsibility for the murder in a social media post, has yet to be arrested. He mentioned in the post that he was a member of the Bishnoi gang, which was shared by his brother, Pravin Lonkar.

According to investigations into the Baba Siddique murder case, Shiv Kumar Gautam and Dharmraj Kashyap worked in a scrap shop near Pravin Lonkar's dairy in Pune.

The Lonkar brothers allegedly recruited Gautam and Kashyap to commit the crime.