It has been 26 days since Baba Siddique, a leader of the NCP’s Ajit Pawar faction, was gunned down in police protection on a busy street in Bandra on October 12. While multiple teams from the Crime Branch have arrested 16 individuals in connection with the case, the main conspirator and the shooter remain at large. Authorities have stated they are close to uncovering the motive and making a breakthrough in the case in the coming days.

The Crime Branch believes that the main conspirator, Shubham Lonkar, may have fled the country via Nepal, and a Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued for him. The shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, along with another key conspirator, Jisan Akhatar, are believed to be hiding somewhere in India. “We are very close and have gathered crucial clues about their whereabouts within the country. Multiple teams are actively working on the case, and we expect a breakthrough soon,” said a senior officer from the Crime Branch.