Pravin Lonkar is among the conspirators implicated in the murder, alongside his brother Shubham Lonkar, Dharmaraj Kashyap, and Shivkumar Gautam, according to Mumbai police. Earlier, the police arrested Gurmail Singh as one of the main accused in the case who has also been sent to Mumbai Crime Branch custody until October 21.
The Mumbai Crime Branch uncovered the identities of Siddique’s assailants on Sunday, just a day after the NCP politician was shot dead in the city. Authorities believe the murder was premeditated.
On October 12, 2024, between 9:15 PM and 9:30 PM, Siddique was shot multiple times by three men as he exited his office in Bandra (West), Mumbai. Despite being rushed to Lilavati Hospital, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A case has been filed at Nirmal Nagar Police Station under Crime Registration No. 589/2024, with charges including sections 103(1), 109, 125, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as provisions of the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.
The former Maharashtra minister’s assassination in Bandra, despite being under Y-category security protection, has raised serious security questions. Lawrence Bishnoi allegedly financed the operation, providing Rs 50,000 upfront and promising Rs 2 lakh more upon completion. The accused rented a room in Kurla to facilitate the assassination. The attackers were equipped with photos of Siddique for identification. The plan was in place before September, and Gautam fired six bullets at Siddique, striking him three times, as per a TOI report.After the shooting, the attackers fled through a Durga Puja procession. According to TOI, they incapacitated Siddique’s police guard using pepper spray and attempted to escape. However, police officers apprehended Kashyap and Singh in a nearby park.
