Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12, 2024, outside the office of his son and former MLA Zeeshan Siddique in Bandra (East) by three assailants.
Singh approached the Bombay High Court after a sessions court rejected his bail plea on July 19, 2025.
This is the first bail granted to any accused in the Baba Siddique murder case.
“Undoubtedly, the acts committed by the Organised Crime Syndicate, alleged to be headed by Bishnoi brothers, are serious offences. The provisions of the MCOCA are thus invoked. However, on examination of the material relied upon by the prosecution, qua the present applicant and taking the material against the applicant as it is, without considering the defence of the applicant, I am unable to form an opinion that there are reasonable grounds, at this stage, for believing that the accusations against the applicant of commission of the offence under the MCOCA are prima facie true,” the HC noted in its order.
A single-judge bench of Justice Neela K Gokhale granted him bail with several conditions. Singh must report to the Mumbai police every alternate Monday, cannot leave Maharashtra or the country without the trial court’s permission, furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh along with local sureties of the same amount, deposit his passport, attend trial dates unless exempted by the court and share his contact details with the investigating officer, according to the court.
The court clarified that the bail order, issued with “stringent conditions,” applies only to Singh, keeping all other contentions open. If he violates any condition, the prosecution may seek cancellation of his bail, and the competent court must act immediately.
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According to the police, Singh, who hails from a village in Punjab’s Fazilka, allegedly played an active role in conspiring to kill Siddique.
Advocates Abhishek Yende, Surbhi Agrawal, and Shubham Kahite, who represented Singh, argued that the chargesheet contained no incriminating material directly linking him to the crime. They said the allegations against Singh were “vague and baseless.”
They claimed the prosecution failed to prove any connection between Singh and organised crime syndicate leader Anmol Bishnoi alias Bhaiji, or any role in planning the conspiracy with the other accused.
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Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Mahesh Sule, representing the Mumbai police, opposed the bail plea. Advocate Pradip Gharat appearing for intervenor Shehzeen Siddique, widow of Baba Siddique also supported the state’s argument that 22-year-old applicant had no cause to make international calls and same shows his guilt.
The judge, while disagreeing with police’s argument, added the “only explanation offered by police that since applicant also belongs to Punjab and money has been deposited in an ATM in Punjab, does neither connect Singh with the syndicate, nor does it per se establish applicant rendering financial assistance to organised crime syndicate.”
The court observed, as per police, the weapons used in the firing were brought from Rajasthan and “the existence of photograph of applicant holding a gun, in his phone, does not demonstrate that he has participated in the criminal conspiracy of murdering the deceased.”
Terming police’s allegation over complicity of Singh with organised crime syndicate of Bishnoi brothers based on some international calls made by him to Canada as “unsupported,” the court in its prima facie opinion observed that “no effort is made by the prosecution to identify the receivers of the said calls.”
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
