The Mumbai Crime Branch has revealed a disturbing motive behind the recent murder of prominent politician Baba Siddique. According to their investigation, Siddique’s close association with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who has been on the Bishnoi gang’s hit list due to his involvement in the blackbuck poaching case, played a crucial role in his killing. Sources have indicated that Siddique’s murder is seen as a direct message from the gang to those emotionally or financially supporting the actor.
A senior police officer confirmed to mid-day that the Bishnoi gang has been targeting individuals close to Salman Khan.The officer also connected Siddique’s murder to the recent shooting outside Punjabi singer AP Dhillon‘s house in Canada, where the gang claimed responsibility. Dhillon had collaborated with Salman Khan on a music video, reportedly without charging any fees.
“Our investigation into Salman Khan’s firing case and now the murder of a political leader points toward the Bishnoi gang. The motive appears to be the actor’s close emotional and financial associations,” said the officer. The police are now conducting a full-scale investigation into the gang’s activities and are taking serious measures to prevent further incidents. Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has led intensive meetings.
“We admit that this is an intelligence failure, and it is being taken very, very seriously. We will ensure that no such incidents happen in the future. We are currently assessing where exactly our intelligence system failed and how we missed any clues,” a top IPS officer from Mumbai police said on the condition of anonymity.
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The Crime Branch, along with the Anti-Terrorist Cell, Special Branch, and Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU), has been tasked with gathering information on all individuals closely associated with Salman Khan. Additionally, efforts are underway to track the smuggling routes through which weapons, like the 9mm pistol used in Siddique’s murder, are entering Mumbai.
Although the investigation initially explored various motives, such as a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) dispute or business rivalry, officers now believe that Salman Khan’s connection is the likely cause. “We’re about 70 per cent sure the Salman Khan connection is the primary motive, given the Bishnoi gang’s history,” said a Crime Branch officer. However, they are also open to exploring other angles if Siddique’s family presents new claims, such as disputes or rivalries.
The Crime Branch plans to meet with Siddique’s family, including MLA Zeeshan Siddique, to determine if there were any threats made, especially from the Bishnoi gang. Separately, Shubham Lonkar, in a social media post, claimed that Siddique’s murder was revenge for Anuj Thapan’s death, accusing Siddique of connections to underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim.