Mumbai Police invoke MCOCA in Baba Siddique murder case

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have applied the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime (MCOCA) Act in the murder case of former NCP politician Baba Siddique, officials said on Saturday. The decision comes as the crime branch continues its investigation, having arrested 26 individuals so far, including the alleged main shooter, Shiv Kumar Gautam.

A Mumbai Police official confirmed that provisions of the MCOCA were invoked in the Baba Siddique murder case but did not elaborate on the specifics. The application of the MCOCA is significant as confessions made under this act are admissible in court, and obtaining bail becomes notably challenging for those charged under its provisions.

Baba Siddique, who was 66 years old, was fatally shot on October 12 by three assailants outside the office building of his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, in Bandra East, Mumbai. He sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest and was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was arrested in the United States for his alleged involvement in the murder of Siddique and for his role in a shooting incident outside actor Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai. The arrest has added a further layer of complexity to the case.

While significant progress has been made with the arrest of 26 individuals, authorities are still pursuing leads to locate and apprehend the suspected key conspirators, Shubham Lonkar and Zishan Mohammad Akhtar, who remain at large.

With PTI inputs