21 October,2024 07:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva Agashe
The accused is taken to court
Crime Branch officers have arrested the 10th alleged accused in the Baba Siddique murder, from Belapur. The accused has been identified as Bhagwat Singh, 32. Police said Singh played an active role in the conspiracy to kill Siddique and supplied a firearm to the accused.
"The matter is very sensitive, and Singh has roots in Udaipur. He was living in BKC until the politician was shot dead, after which he moved to Belapur. We suspect he supplied the firearm and money to the accused, which is why his custody is required," the addl public prosecutor, Randdhir Yelaave said in court. So far, police have made 10 arrests, while three prime suspects remain at large. According to the police, Singh is a scrap dealer who met one of the accused, Ram Kanojiya and was in contact with the absconding accused.
The photogallery here
Singh and Kanojiya reportedly travelled to Udaipur, procured the firearm, and then supplied it to one of the absconding suspects. "The accused's custody is needed to determine how the firearm was brought to the city," the public prosecutor added. The police also allege that Kanojiya was aware of the crime and actively participated. Investigators have found some money in his account and suspect he distributed it among the other accused. So far, police have seized two firearms, five mobile phones, clothing belonging to Dharmraj Singh and Gurmail Singh, and two Aadhaar cards.
Defence lawyer Yusuf Ansari told the court that his client had no involvement in the crime. Nevertheless, the Esplanade Court granted police custody of the accused until October 26. On October 19, police arrested Nitin Gautam Sapre, 32; Sambhaji Kishan Parbi, 44; Ram Phoolchand Kanojiya, 43; Pradeep Tomber, 37; and Chetan Dilip Pardhi, 33. The prime suspects, Shubham Lonkar, Jishan Akhtar, and Shivkumar Gautam, have been absconding since the crime occurred.
