Bombay High Court Rejects Bail Plea in Baba Siddique Murder Case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has rejected the bail plea of a Uttar Pradesh-based businessman arrested for his alleged role in the murder of Baba Siddique, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

A single-judge bench led by Justice R.M. Joshi denied bail to Akhilendra Pratap Singh, observing that the seriousness of the allegations and the stage of the investigation did not justify granting relief at this point.

Siddique, 66, a former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead on October 12, 2024, in Bandra East. The attack occurred around 9:30 pm when he stepped out of his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office after meeting party workers ahead of the Assembly elections. He was struck by three bullets, while two hit his vehicle and one injured a passerby.

Investigators later identified the shooters as Gurmel Baljit Singh and Shivkumar Gautam, who were allegedly linked to the gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi. So far, 26 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, while three remain absconding.

According to the prosecution, Singh provided logistical support to the attackers and was involved in harbouring one of the accused near the Indo-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh. He has been booked under multiple provisions, including murder, criminal conspiracy, the Arms Act, and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

The state and Siddique’s family opposed the bail plea, arguing that the accused played a crucial role in assisting the perpetrators. The defence, however, claimed there was no concrete evidence and alleged misuse of police authority.

After considering the arguments, the court refused to grant bail, citing the gravity of the offence and the ongoing nature of the investigation.