NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched an attack on the Maharashtra government following the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, claiming that gang wars and underworld influence have surged in Mumbai under the current administration.
Speaking on Monday, Raut accused the government of harboring ties with the underworld, which he alleged was being orchestrated from Gujarat.
“I had previously warned that under this government, the power of gang wars and the underworld in Mumbai would increase. This government also has the support of the underworld, which is being run from Gujarat,” Raut said.
He also referenced a recent drug seizure in Gujarat, where narcotics worth Rs 5,000 crore were confiscated. “If drugs worth Rs 5,000 crore have been seized, it means that drugs worth Rs 50,000 crore have already flooded the country,” he added.
Raut further challenged Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, calling on him to confront those responsible for Siddique’s murder and to prove his ‘Singhamgiri’— a reference to the 2011 Bollywood film “Singham,” in which the protagonist is a fearless police officer.
“Shinde declared himself Singham after taking action in the Badlapur sexual assault case. Now, if he truly has the courage, he should encounter the conspirators behind Baba Siddique’s murder,” Raut said.
The Shiv Sena leader also made a veiled reference to Lawrence Bishnoi, a gangster currently lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail, who has been linked to the murder of Siddique. “This is a challenge for the Union home minister, who is from Gujarat,” Raut said, urging accountability at the highest levels.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has arrested Pravin Lonkar from Pune in connection with Siddique’s murder. According to police reports, Pravin is the brother of Shubham Lonkar, who had posted on social media that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was responsible for the killing. Shubham Lonkar remains at large, and authorities say Pravin provided shelter to the other suspects involved.
Mumbai police conducted an ossification test on Dharmaraj Kashyap, one of the accused in the case, to determine his age. The test confirmed that Kashyap is not a minor, and he was subsequently presented in court, which granted police custody until October 21.
The investigation has implicated several individuals in the conspiracy, including Pravin Lonkar, Dharmaraj Kashyap, and Shivkumar Gautam. Police say the group was involved in plotting Siddique’s assassination.
Responding to the escalating tensions surrounding the murder, chief minister Eknath Shinde addressed the law and order situation in the state. He reassured that the government is committed to ensuring public safety and bringing the perpetrators to justice. “Two individuals have already been arrested in connection with this case, and the third accused, who is absconding, will also be apprehended soon. No one will be spared, whether it’s the Bishnoi gang or any other underworld entity,” Shinde said.
The NCP leader was gunned down outside his office in Nirmal Nagar, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds before succumbing to his injuries at Lilavati Hospital on Saturday night. His funeral was held with full state honors at Bada Qabrastan in Mumbai on Sunday.
