The Esplanade Court in Mumbai has remanded Pravin Lonkar, the 3rd accused in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, to police custody until October 21.
Lonkar was presented in court on Monday following a medical checkup after his arrest by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch in Pune on Sunday.
Baba Siddique was shot outside his office in Nirmal Nagar, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night.
Pravin Lonkar, 28, is the brother of Shubham Lonkar, who is also implicated in the conspiracy. Together, they reportedly enlisted Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam in the plot to assassinate Siddique.
Additionally, the Mumbai police conducted an ossification test on Dharmaraj Kashyap to determine his age, confirming that he is not a minor. This medical procedure assesses a person’s age by examining the degree of bone fusion.
Baba Siddique was laid to rest with full state honors at Bada Qabrastan in Mumbai on Sunday. During the investigation, it was revealed that Siddique’s son, Zeeshan, was also a target in the assassination plot.
The accused indicated that they had been contracted to kill both Zeeshan and Baba Siddique, and were instructed to fire upon anyone they encountered.
Prior to the incident, Zeeshan Siddique had received threats, raising concerns about the safety of both him and his father.
The ongoing investigation underscores the serious nature of the conspiracy and the potential risks faced by the Siddique family.