Baba Siddique was gunned down on October 12, 2024, in Bandra East outside his son Zeeshan Akhtar’s office. (File)
Even as the Mumbai police have claimed that the Bishnoi gang carried out the murder of former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique last year, gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi has not been named as an accused in the case.
While Lawrence Bishnoi was named as an accused in the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra on April 14, 2024, the police say they have not found any evidence to list him as an accused in the case.
You’ve Read Your Free Stories For Now
Sign up and keep reading more stories that matter to you.
A senior officer told The Indian Express that in the Salman Khan firing case, they had a statement from an accused which confirmed that Lawrence Bishnoi had directly spoken to some of the accused on the phone from Sabarmati Central Jail.
“While Bishnoi called up on one mobile phone that was kept on speaker, another accused kept another mobile phone on speaker so that the two sides could speak without the calls being traced to them. It was based on this statement that we had mentioned Lawrence as an accused in the Salman Khan case,” the officer said.
“In the case of Baba Siddique, it was Anmol, the younger brother of Lawrence, who was in touch with the accused persons and we have found no link of Lawrence himself, hence while the Bishnoi gang has carried out the murder, we have not named Lawrence as an accused in the case,” the officer added.
The Mumbai police have not been able to get custody of Lawrence Bishnoi, who continues to be lodged at the Sabarmati Jail, as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought that the gangster be kept in that prison for his security. NIA had filed a chargesheet against Lawrence Bishnoi earlier in a narcotics case.
Anmol Bishnoi is currently lodged at the Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa after he was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in November last year when he was trying to use a forged passport to travel.
Story continues below this ad
Siddique was gunned down on October 12, 2024, in Bandra East outside his son Zeeshan Akhtar’s office. The police have arrested 26 people, including the main shooter, in connection with the case.
Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems.
Experience & Authority
Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field.
Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus.
Key Beats:
Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force.
Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict.
Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations.
Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed.
Credentials & Trustworthiness
Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order.
He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More
