16th Arrest in Baba Siddique Murder Case as Probe Widens

The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested Gaurav Vilas Apune in connection with the murder of Baba Siddique, adding to the 16 total arrests. Apune met with other suspects and was in contact with the shooters. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility, and investigations continue across states.

In a significant development, the Mumbai Crime Branch has apprehended another suspect linked to the assassination of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister, Baba Siddique. Official sources confirmed the arrest of Gaurav Vilas Apune, aged 32, in Pune, which marks the 16th detention in this high-profile murder investigation.

Investigators revealed that Apune had conspired with other suspects and maintained contact with the individuals initially commissioned as shooters. The murder, which occurred on October 12 in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar, was executed by three gunmen near the office of Siddique's son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique.

The notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the act. The Mumbai Police, deeply entrenched in solving the murder, disclosed that arms deployed in the assassination were traced back to Rajasthan. Efforts to apprehend further suspects include deploying five teams beyond Maharashtra, with active searches underway in Haryana for Zeeshan, the alleged orchestrator.

The Crime Branch's intensified operations led to the recovery of another weapon from Rupesh Mohol's residence in Pune. This contributes to a total of five weapons secured by the authorities to date. The branch continues its pursuit to locate an additional firearm and three live cartridges, suspecting that up to six weapons were funneled into Mumbai for the deadly plot.

Previously, a firearm was confiscated from Ram Fulchand Kanoujia's rented abode in Raigad. Alongside tangible evidence, digital trails from the shooters' phones unveiled photos of pistols, further elucidating the murder's intricate planning stages.

(With inputs from agencies.)