Baba Siddique Murder Case: Widow Moves Bombay HC, Seeks Independent Probe Into Ex-MLA’s Killing

Mumbai: Shehzeen Ziauddin Siddique, widow of late Congress leader and former MLA Baba Siddique, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the investigation into her husband’s murder to an “independent and impartial agency”.

Petition Alleges Suppression Of Evidence And Political Pressure On Police

The plea, filed through advocate Trivankumar Karnani, alleges political interference and deliberate suppression of crucial evidence by the Mumbai Police. The matter is likely to come up for hearing next week.

Siddique (66) was shot dead by three assailants outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Bandra (East) on the night of October 12, 2024.

Builder Lobby And Political Links Suspected Behind Killing

Shehzeen’s petition claims the police have intentionally avoided arresting the real culprits and have attributed the killing to gangster Anmol Bishnoi, brother of Lawrence Bishnoi. She suspects the involvement of a powerful builder lobby and a political leader behind her husband’s death.

The plea alleges that investigators “intentionally avoided” probing the role of builders engaged in slum redevelopment projects in Siddique’s former constituency — areas where he had opposed exploitation of slum dwellers. “Siddique always worked for slum residents and was considered a hurdle by several developers. This angle was never probed by police,” the plea states.

Petition Cites Failure To Examine Key Witnesses And Ignored Threats

It further alleges that despite clear motive disclosure, police have not questioned persons named by Siddique’s son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique. “The investigation appears to be an exercise to dig a mountain and find a rat,” the petition remarks, adding that Shehzeen — a “prime and key witness” possessing WhatsApp messages and recordings — was never examined.

Siddique Had Raised Security Concerns Weeks Before His Murder

Detailing the events leading up to the killing, the plea notes that Siddique had repeatedly raised security concerns and sought restoration of police protection weeks before his murder. On July 15, 2024, he received an “offensive and threatening message” from one Prithvijeet Rajaram Chavan.

On July 25, he wrote to the Commissioner of Police seeking reinstatement of his security cover, while his son Zeeshan wrote to then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde seeking Y+ protection. The Commissioner’s office acknowledged Siddique’s letter the next day.

Derogatory Remarks, Threat Messages Cited As Warning Signs

The plea also refers to derogatory remarks allegedly made against Siddique in August by one Ashok Mundra, said to be an associate of businessman Mohit Kamboj.

On July 29, Siddique shared a screenshot of the threat message with his wife, asking her to “save it in case anything happens” to him. Two weeks later, he texted her saying, “It is not the right way,” followed by, “Bastards are bullying.”

Plea Seeks SIT Or Independent Agency Probe Under Court Monitoring

The petition seeks that the probe be handed over to an independent agency or, alternatively, to a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT), and that the police be directed to submit a status report.

Murder Probe Already Under DCB CID, Chargesheet Filed Against 26 Accused

An FIR was registered a day after the murder under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, and later under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The probe was transferred to the DCB CID’s Special Unit, Mumbai.

In January this year, police filed a chargesheet naming 26 arrested accused, all booked under MCOCA. Anmol Bishnoi has been shown as a wanted accused, with the prosecution claiming he ordered the killing to assert dominance in the crime syndicate.

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Family Denied RTI Details, Told Extradition Request Sent To US Authorities

In June, Siddique’s family sought details on steps taken to secure Bishnoi’s presence but were denied information under the RTI Act. In August, they were informed that the Ministry of External Affairs had sent an extradition request to US authorities.

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