'Will Find Out The Mastermind Soon': Ajit Pawar Meets Baba Siddique's Son, Vows Action Against Accused

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday met with the son of Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Mumbai the previous evening and vowed to catch the mastermind behind the fatal attack on the ruling party leader.

Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar, was killed outside the office of his MLA son, Zeeshan Siddique, near Colgate Ground in Nirmal Nagar.

Pawar mentioned that the Maharashtra government has issued directives to form five investigation teams which will be sent to other states to carry out a detailed probe into the Baba Siddique murder case.

“Yesterday night a very sad incident happened. We are unable to believe that this incident has happened. Two people have been arrested and a police investigation is going on. Five teams have been sent to other states. We are personally looking into it and we will figure out who is the mastermind behind this,” Pawar said.

Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Link Under Probe

Two people have been arrested in connection with Baba Siddique’s killing. The two accused–Karnail Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh–claimed during interrogation that they belonged to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a notorious gangster currently in jail, Crime Branch sources said.

The third person involved in his killing is still on the run. The police sources revealed that a total of four persons were involved in the incident with one person relaying information about Siddique’s movement.

Baba Siddique Family’s First Reaction

Baba Siddique’s son and Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique on Sunday shared a heartfelt post on social media mourning his father’s death.  Expressing grief over the loss, he said that Baba Siddique has left for his ‘Heavenly Abode’.

“With Immense Grief, We inform you that Our Beloved *Shri. Baba Siddique*, Father of MLA *Shri. Zeeshan Baba Siddique* & *Dr. Arshia Siddique* & Husband of *Mrs. Shehzeen Siddique* has left for his Heavenly Abode,” he wrote in an X post.

Zeeshan Siddique announced that the final rites and burial of his father, Baba Siddique, will take place on Sunday at 8:30 pm at Bada Kabarastan, which is located opposite Marine Lines Station. All those wishing to pay their respects are welcome to attend, he added.

State Funeral For Baba Siddique

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday announced a State Funeral for former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique who was shot dead outside his son’s office in Mumbai. Between 2004 and 2008, Siddique served as the Minister of State for various departments and also the President of MHADA.

Assuring strict action against the accused, Shinde said, “This is an extremely unfortunate incident and I spoke to the doctors and police. Two people have been arrested, the accused are from UP and Haryana. The third accused is absconding. We have given instructions to Mumbai Police that strict action should be taken against those who take law and order into their hands.”

The former MLA was known not just for his political acumen but also for hosting lavish Bollywood parties. A cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan was resolved at an iftar party hosted by him in 2013.