Mumbai Police Seek MHA Nod For Lawrence Bishnoi’s Custody In Baba Siddique Murder Case – News18

A team of Mumbai Police met with the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to seek custodial interrogation of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as probe into the Baba Siddique’s murder case widens.

During the interaction held earlier this week, the MHA officials assured the Mumbai Police that they would consider the request to hand over Lawrence Bishnoi’s custody, reported TOI.

Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and a senior leader of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, was killed after being shot by three individuals in Bandra East, Mumbai, on October 12 evening.

The Mumbai Police said that Baba Siddique was shot dead outside the office of his MLA son, Zeeshan Siddique, near Colgate Ground in Nirmal Nagar.

Four people have been arrested in connection with Siddique’s killing. The two of three shooters- Karnail Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh, claimed their ties with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The cops also arrested co-conspirator Pravin Lonkar who enlisted the shooters in the plot.

The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested the fourth accused in the murder case from UP’s Bahraich. The accused, identified as 23-year-old Harishkumar Balakram, was allegedly supplying money and arranging logistics for the shooters.

Main accused Shivkumar Gautam, who allegedly fired six rounds at Baba Siddique, of which two hit the target, is still absconding. The cops have formed several teams to capture the accused.

What’s Stopping Mumbai Police To Get Bishnoi’s Custody?

The name of Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently serving a jail term in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Central prison, also surfaced in connection with the shooting incident outside Salman Khan’s residence in April this year. Later, the Mumbai Police filed multiple petitions to secure his custody, all of which were denied by the courts.

Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang also claimed responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, prompting the Mumbai Police to investigate his possible involvement.

The primary reason Mumbai police does not have Lawrence Bishnoi’s custody is an order from the Union Home Ministry that restricts the gangster from being transferred from Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad.

This directive, issued under Section 268(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), empowers the government to restrict the movement of high-profile prisoners when it may pose a threat to law and order. Initially set to expire in August 2024, this order has now been extended.

In August 2023, Lawrence Bishnoi was moved from Delhi’s Tihar Jail to Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad in connection with a drug smuggling case.