Shooter in High-Profile NCP Leader Murder Case Faces Legal Battle

Shivkumar Gautam, charged as the primary shooter in NCP leader Baba Siddique's murder case, is facing pressure to confess under MCOCA. The court extended his custody and denied voluntariness in his confession. Arrested with four others, Gautam seeks legal recourse against the coercive tactics.

Shivkumar Gautam, alleged as the main shooter in the high-profile murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, has raised concerns about being forced into confessional statements under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The additional chief judicial magistrate, Vinod Patil, granted an extension of Gautam's police custody until November 23, despite his opposition to making a confession under MCOCA. The accused, apprehended in a joint operation by the Mumbai crime branch and Uttar Pradesh's STF on November 10, finds MCOCA provisions particularly coercive.

Gautam argues that he faces undue pressure to confess, contrary to legal voluntariness, and has filed a plea through his advocate to declare his stance to the court. Meanwhile, authorities insist further detention is necessary as they search for the murder weapon, underscoring Gautam's non-cooperation in the probe following Siddique's tragic assassination last month.

(With inputs from agencies.)