Pune: The murder of former state minister Baba Siddiqui has shaken Maharashtra’s political landscape, and a significant Pune connection has now come to light in the case.
Two suspects involved in the assassination, Gurmel Baljit Singh (23) from Haryana and Dharmraj Rajesh Kashyap (19) from Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested. The third suspect, Shivkumar Gautam alias Shiva (20), also from Bahraich, remains on the run.
Investigations have revealed that Dharmraj and Shivkumar had been living in Pune for labor work. Shivkumar had been working for a scrap dealer in Pune for the last 5 to 6 years, and recently called Dharmraj to the city for employment.
Both of them were connected to Gurmel, the main accused, who had earlier been charged with the murder of his brother in Haryana in 2019. It was also found that the person who contracted the murder introduced Gurmel to Dharmraj and Shivkumar during their time in Pune.
The attackers allegedly moved from Pune to Mumbai before carrying out the assassination. The exact details of their travel, as well as how they gathered information about Baba Siddiqui, are under investigation by the crime branch. Communication between the assailants was carried out through a messaging app, further complicating the investigation.
The Pune angle has become a critical focus in the investigation as it appears to be the base where the attackers connected and organized their movements.
The crime branch is also probing possible local contacts in Pune who may have assisted them. Law enforcement officials are trying to determine if any other criminal activities linked to the suspects were carried out while they were in Pune.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang is suspected of orchestrating the assassination, and the police are investigating the role of the gang in coordinating the suspects’ movements between Pune and Mumbai.
Additionally, the Mumbai crime branch has contacted Uttar Pradesh and Haryana police for further information about the suspects' backgrounds. Gurmel Baljit had a previous charge of murder, while no prior criminal records were found for Dharmraj and Shivkumar in their home states.