Baba Siddique Murder Case: Key Conspirator Shubham Lonkar Deleted Facebook Profile To Erase Digital Evidence After Claiming Responsibility For Killing

Mumbai: In a fresh twist in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, the crime branch has found that the Bishnoi gang had made a detailed plan to not leave any digital imprint after the sensational killing. To dodge the law agencies, the gang had immediately deleted the Facebook profile through which the post claiming the murder responsibility was uploaded.

The profile was created in the name of absconding Shubham Lonkar's name. Before deletion of the profile, the gang took a screenshot of the post. Subsequently, it spread the post from a digital address somewhere in Delhi so that the URL from which the Facebook profile was created could never be found, said sources.

Before Siddique's murder, Anmol Bishnoi and other gang leaders had communicated with Lonkar and instructed him to take responsibility for the act post-execution, they added. The screenshot of the post has been found in the phone of accused Gaurav Apune (backup 'shooter'), said the cops.

A crime branch officer said that since the Facebook profile was deleted, its URL could not be traced. Despite contacting Facebook, the exact location of the post's origin remains undetermined, he added. Investigation further revealed that Bishnoi had communicated not only with Lonkar, Zeeshan Akhtar and alleged main shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam but also with other accused like Rupesh Mohol and Nitin Sapre as well.

Before the murder, Bishnoi motivated these individuals with promises of large monetary rewards and assistance in shifting abroad. Crucial evidence has been retrieved from their phones, including records of conversations with Bishnoi, said the cops.

An officer confirmed that they possess substantial evidence against Anmol Bishnoi, strengthening the case significantly.