In run-up to polls, NCP leader, ex-MLA Baba Siddique shot dead in Mumbai, 2 held

After being with the Congress for 48 years, he switched his political affiliations earlier this year, and aligned himself with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. A seasoned politician, he was known for his flamboyant style and strong connections with Bollywood. His highly publicised iftar gatherings attracted numerous celebrities, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

Live Updates: Baba Siddique shot dead in Mumbai

Siddique’s killing ahead of the Assembly elections which are expected to be held in November has kicked off a political storm with Opposition parties calling for the resignation of Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Calling it an “unfortunate” incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “We will ensure that all guilty will be arrested.”

A view of the location where NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot at. (Express photo)

According to the police, the assailants fired around 6-7 rounds at Siddique as he left his son’s office and was entering his car. Two bullets hit him in the chest, and one hit him in the abdomen. The person sitting next to Siddique was also injured, said a police source.

Deven Bharti, Special Commissioner of Mumbai, who visited the incident site said two suspects had been detained for further questioning. Additional Commissioner of Police (West Region) Paramjit Dahiya said the shooting occurred around 9:30 pm and that the investigation had been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. The police have also seized a (9 mm) pistol from the spot, said zonal DCP Manish Kalwaniya.

The shooting took place exactly six months after shots were fired at the house of Salman Khan, a close friend of Siddique. The two incidents occurred in the same suburb of Bandra. On April 14 morning, four rounds were fired outside the actor’s Bandra residence. The crime branch later arrested six people from different states. According to the probe by the crime branch, the attack was carried out at the behest of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who had threatened actor Salman Khan in the past as well.

After the Saturday incident, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar said, “He (Baba Siddique) was shot dead despite Y-level security. We have been warning the government about the growing criminal activities in Mumbai… This government has been supporting criminals. We demand that a detailed probe should be conducted.”

According to the police, the assailants fired around 6-7 rounds at Siddique as he left his son’s office and was entering his car. (Express Photo)

Expressing condolences with Siddique’s family, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, “The collapsed law and order of Maharashtra is worrying. If the ruling side and Home Minister are going to run the government with this softness then it is an alarming sign. It doesn’t even need a probe but the ruling side should take up the responsibility and leave the post.”

Siddique made a mark in student politics in early days, and was elected as a corporator of the Mumbai civic body on the Congress’s ticket for two terms, in 1992 and 1997. In 1999, he won from the Bandra West Assembly constituency as the Congress candidate, going on to retain the seat in the 2004 and 2009 polls.

In 2014, Siddique declared assets worth over ₹75 crore, including significant real estate holdings. He was previously under scrutiny when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on his Bandra properties in 2017 as part of a money laundering investigation related to a slum rehabilitation project.

The police reported that three rounds were fired at Siddique near the Kherwadi signal junction, close to Ram Mandir, an area falling under the jurisdiction of the Nirmal Nagar police station. Shell casings from three bullets were recovered from the crime scene.

Local police and crime branch officers are currently searching for the third suspect, who managed to escape. All three assailants had covered their faces with clothing during the attack. A murder case is being registered at the Nirmal Nagar police station in Zone 8. Police sources have indicated that the investigation is exploring all possible angles, including disputes over the Sant Dnyaneshwar Society SRA project.