Mumbai/Pune: Investigators probing former minister Baba Siddique‘s murder said “a part of the conspiracy” was hatched at a milk dairy run by two brothers in Karve Nagar, Pune, over the past two years. The proposal to kill Siddique was forwarded to the shooters by the brothers, Shubham and Pravin (28) Lonkar, who held multiple conspiracy meetings with the co-accused at the dairy, said a cop.
Police are now trying to find out who assigned the task to the Lonkar brothers.Pravin was arrested by Mumbai crime branch from Pune on Sunday. He was produced before the Esplanade Court on Monday and remanded in police custody until Oct 21. Two days ago, police arrested Dharmaraj Kashyap (21) and Gurmail Singh (23) near the crime spot in Bandra (E) after the firing on Saturday.
Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told TOI: “Lonkar brothers hail from Akola and shifted to Pune in 2018. Prior to starting the Lonkar Dairy in 2022, they ran a vegetable outlet… During his college days, Shubham joined NCC. He had gone to Rajasthan to attend a youth programme when he came in contact with Bishnoi gang. He does not use a cellphone.”
A Mumbai crime branch officer said, “Pravin was part of the conspiracy. Shubham is also an accused. Shubham provided finance for the crime, and Pravin supported in money and logistics.” Police said Pravin also visited Mumbai. Cops said they are trying to establish if Shubham provided weapons to the shooters. In Jan, the two were held in an Arms Act case in Akola and later released on bail.
Kashyap and Singh are from the same village in Bahraich district of UP and used to work together in a scrap dealer’s shop in Pune. This was where they came in touch with the brothers and were allegedly enlisted by Pravin. When asked who was the mastermind behind the killing, the officer said, “All the accused were given specific work. They don’t know much about others. We are working on information and trying to uncover the upper layer in the conspiracy. The motive is still not clear,” he said.
Shubham left home a few months ago. Pravin ran the dairy in his absence. The brothers held meetings with Kashyap and wanted accused, Shivkumar Gautam, at the dairy, said cops. Gautam fired six bullets at Siddique, while three hit him. Police said Kashyap also used pepper spray so they could flee. Gautam managed to flee while Kashyap and Singh were caught. On Sunday, Shubham allegedly posted a message online on behalf of Bishnoi gang. “We are writing to the social media platform asking for details of this account which was deleted hours later.” (With Gitesh Shelke)
