Zeeshan Akhtar, a key conspirator in the high-profile murder case of senior NCP leader Baba Siddique, has been arrested in Canada, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, confirmed on Wednesday.
Akhtar, 22, was reportedly held by Canadian authorities in connection with a fake passport case, according to official sources.
He is suspected to have played a central role in the assassination plot against Siddique, a former Maharashtra cabinet minister, who was gunned down in Mumbai’s Bandra area on 12 October 2024.
“Zeeshan, who was involved in the Baba Siddique murder case, has been arrested in Canada. We have initiated the process to bring him back to India. We will interrogate him further after his return,” Kadam told the media agencies.
Mumbai Police have alleged that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol Bishnoi, had orchestrated the murder from abroad, giving a contract to Akhtar and another accused, Shubham Lonkar, to carry out the killing.
The investigation into the politically sensitive murder has led to a sweeping crackdown. Authorities have arrested at least 25 individuals so far in connection with the case, which shocked Maharashtra’s political circles and triggered a nationwide outcry.
Efforts are currently underway through diplomatic and legal channels to secure Akhtar’s extradition from Canada.
Follow us
