MUMBAI: The Mumbai police investigating the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique have uncovered a chilling link to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang‘s plans to target Aftab Poonawalla, the accused in the Shraddha Walkar murder case 2022.
In his confession, Shivakumar Gautam, alias Shiva, the main suspect in Siddique’s killing, revealed that Shubham Lonkar, a Bishnoi gang member, had discussed attacking Poonawalla. However, the gang allegedly refrained due to Poonawalla’s heightened security.
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A police official involved in the probe revealed, “Shiva disclosed that Shubham Lonkar, a member of the Bishnoi gang, and other senior figures had expressed intentions to target Aftab. This intelligence has now been shared with Delhi police for further security measures.”
The Shraddha Walkar murder
Aftab Poonawalla, Walkar’s live-in partner, is accused of strangling her during an argument in May 2022. He then dismembered her body into 35 pieces, which he stored in a refrigerator and disposed of over 18 days at various locations across Delhi.
Man chops live-in partner into 35 pieces, dumps them in Delhi forest
The couple, who had relocated from Mumbai to Delhi’s Mehrauli area, were estranged from Walkar’s family, who disapproved of their relationship.
Shocking confessions
On October 12, Gautam, along with two accomplices, Dharmaraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh, shot and killed Baba Siddique outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Bandra East. After the attack, Gautam attempted to blend in with the crowd, but his efforts were foiled when two police officers questioned him about the shooters. He managed to flee the scene, while his accomplices were arrested.
In his confession, Gautam admitted to discarding his bag and weapon under a parked car immediately after the shooting. “I changed my shirt, dumped the bag, and checked the crowd’s reaction to see if the job was done properly,” Gautam told police. The bag, later recovered by authorities, contained a Turkish Tisas pistol, more than two dozen bullets, and Gautam’s discarded shirt.
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Gautam, who had been on the run for nearly a month, was eventually apprehended near the Nepal border on November 10. According to his statement, he fled immediately after the shooting and traveled through Pune, Lucknow, and other locations, changing his appearance to avoid detection. Gautam was reportedly promised a reward of Rs 10 lakh, a foreign trip, and a monthly allowance for his role in the murder.
The investigation also revealed that Gautam and his associates, including Gaurav Apune, Rupesh Mohol, and Shubham Lonkar, traveled to Jharkhand for specialized weapons training. According to police sources, they spent several days in remote forest areas, learning to handle AK-47 rifles. The training was conducted in regional dialects to maintain secrecy and avoid detection.
