Baba Siddique murder: Dossier reveals mastermind Zeeshan Akhtar's involvement

Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old veteran politician, was shot dead outside his office in Mumbai's Bandra during Dussehra celebrations on Saturday night (October 12).

In Short

• Mumbai Police searching for 2 suspects in Baba Siddique murder
• 3 suspects arrested; mastermind and another accused at large
• Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the killing

Two days after the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the Mumbai Police is still searching for two other suspects involved in the crime. While three suspects have been arrested, the mastermind and another key accused remain at large.

Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old veteran politician, was shot dead outside his office in Mumbai's Bandra during Dussehra celebrations on Saturday night (October 12). On Sunday, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the killing.

The two attackers, Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, 19, and Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, were caught at the scene and subsequently arrested. A third man, Pravin Lonkar, 28, was also arrested after his brother, Shubham, posted on social media, taking responsibility for the murder on behalf of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Another suspect, Shiv, and the alleged mastermind behind the murder, Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar, are still at large.

Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar, a resident of Jalandhar, was arrested in 2022 and had been in Patiala jail before his release in June 2024, according to a dossier accessed by India Today. He faces multiple charges in Punjab, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery.

The dossier, accessed by India Today, further revealed Akhtar's deep ties to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, according to Punjab Police records. He was also linked to Pune-based gangster Saurabh Mahakal, who had been questioned by Mumbai Police in connection with a threatening letter sent to actor Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan.

In addition, the dossier indicated that Akhtar conducted a recce on two Dera sect followers in Punjab under the instructions of Vikram Barad, a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi.

Sources from the Punjab Police told India Today that Akhtar communicated directly with Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, through a specialised app. The dossier also revealed that Saurabh Mahakal had visited Akhtar’s home in Punjab multiple times.

While in prison, Akhtar allegedly established contact with Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang members, who reportedly assigned him the contract to kill Baba Siddique. After his release on June 7, Akhtar travelled to Kaithal, Haryana, to meet Gurmail, one of the accused in the Siddique murder. He then arranged accommodations in Mumbai for Gurmail, Dharmaraj, and another suspect, Shiv.

According to sources, Akhtar was in Mumbai during the murder and is believed to have coordinated the attack in real-time. His last known location was traced to Mumbai, and the police are actively searching for him.