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Baba Siddique's killers were promised ₹25 lakh, car, Dubai trip: Report
The accused revealed during interrogation that they were promised ₹25 lakh, cars and a flat to murder NCP leader Baba Siddique.
Out of the total 18 men arrested in connection with the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, four of the accused were promised ₹25 lakh, a car, a flat and a trip to Dubai for killing the veteran politician. This information emerged during the interrogation of the accused conducted by the Mumbai crime branch.
One of the arrested individuals - Ramphoolchand Kanojia - had promised four young accused in the Baba Siddique murder that he would receive the money from a wanted accused in the case, Zeeshan Akhtar, reported Times of India, quoting a senior Mumbai Police cop. HT can't independently verify the information.
“Ramphoolchand Kanojia (43), who was arrested in October, promised each of the four accused - Rupesh Mohol (22), Shivam Kohad (20), Karan Salve (19), and Gaurav Apune (23) - a trip to Dubai, ₹25 lakh in cash, a flat and a car. The accused told police that Kanojia was to receive money from a wanted accused, Zeeshan Akhtar (23). We are verifying the details,” the senior cop said, reported TOI.
Read more: Two more arrested in Baba Siddique murder case
Akhtar, who is still on the run, belongs to Jalandhar in Punjab and has been accused of operating around 10 bank accounts linked to the murder. He allegedly sent more than ₹4 lakh to the arrested accused for carrying out the killing.
It was also revealed during the police investigation that these four accused belonged to a poor background, and one of the shooters was trained near Khadakwasla, near Pune. Initially, it was decided that more shooters would be hired for the hit job, but the number was reduced to three. This is why there was a large number of weapons involved in the case, the police said.
Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12 by three assailants outside his son MLA Zeeshan Siddique's office building in Bandra East. He sustained two bullet injuries on his chest and was rushed to the Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, where he passed away.
Two of the three shooters were nabbed by the police immediately, while one of them managed to flee and has not been arrested yet.
Shortly after the murder, the gang led by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the murder. His brother Anmol Bishnoi, who allegedly operates from Canada, was in touch with the shooters before the murder.
