Mumbai: In a significant development in the Baba Siddique murder case, the Mumbai Crime Branch has filed a chargesheet in the special MCOCA court, revealing startling details about the conspiracy. According to the chargesheet, accessed by FPJ, Harish Kumar Nishad, a scrap dealer from Pune, was involved in the murder plot driven by the desire to expand his business.
As per Nishad’s statement recorded in the chargesheet, he was roped into the conspiracy by wanted accused Shubham Lonkar, who promised him ₹10 lakh on behalf of gangster Anmol Bishnoi. Nishad believed that this amount would significantly help in expanding his scrap business, named ‘Balaji’, in Pune.
Nishad further claimed that since the actual shooting was to be carried out by Shiva, Gurmel, and Dharmaraj, he thought he wouldn’t be directly implicated in the murder.
Purchase of Mobile Phones and Bike: The mobile phones used by the shooters before the murder were purchased from Pune’s Warje area. Nishad admitted to buying them using a fake identity, introducing himself as ‘Rahul Kashyap’ to the shopkeeper. The bike used for recce was also bought from Pune for ₹34,000.
Funding and Logistics: Nishad revealed that the funds to purchase the mobile phones and the bike were provided by Praveen Lonkar. Additionally, his friends Anurag Kashyap and Gyanprakash Tripathi arranged finances for the operation from Uttar Pradesh.
Key Conspiracy Meeting Involved Anmol Bishnoi from Portugal: One of the most critical revelations in the chargesheet is that the final planning meeting for Baba Siddiqui’s murder took place in August 2024 at a prominent hotel in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai. Anmol Bishnoi attended this meeting virtually from Portugal.
The meeting was also attended by accused individuals like Shubham Lonkar, Nitin Sapre, Ram Kanaujia, and others. During the meeting, Anmol gave clear instructions: “Baba must be killed at any cost.” Accused Fled After Murder, Learned About the Crime from His Village. After the conspiracy was set in motion, Nishad shut down his shop and fled to his village. It was there that he learned about Baba Siddiqui’s murder, carried out by the three shooters.
Ongoing Investigation: International Links Under the Scanner. The case has now expanded beyond being just a political assassination, revealing an extensive interstate and international conspiracy. The Crime Branch is actively investigating the foreign connections of the accused.
Key suspects like Praveen Lonkar, Shubham Lonkar, and Anmol Bishnoi are under intense scrutiny. As the investigation deepens, the case is exposing a complex web of political rivalry, criminal networks, and financial motives, stretching from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh and even reaching international territories like Portugal.
