The two suspects arrested in the killing of NCP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique have claimed they belong to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, sources have said.
However, this was yet to be verified by the police.
Sources said that the Mumbai Police were also investigating the possible involvement of the gang.
Baba Siddique, 66, a prominent Muslim face from the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was shot dead in Bandra on Saturday night near his son's office.
He was a former three-time MLA from Bandra West and had switched to the NCP from Congress in February.
Siddique shared a close association with Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who has repeatedly faced threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and associates. On April 14, two shooters fired five rounds outside Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Bandra. Mumbai Police in a charge sheet said the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had links with shooters.
The shooting was carried out by three men. Two men -- Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh - were arrested while the third fled.
The two arrested suspects claimed during interrogation that they had been conducting a recce of the shooting spot in Bandra East for nearly a month, said sources.
The three accused arrived there in an auto rickshaw and waited for a while before firing.
Sources also said that the police were probing the case from two angles -- one involving the Bishnoi gang and another related to a slum rehabilitation case.
Further details and official confirmation were awaited.
Sources also said that Siddique had never reported any threat from the Bishnoi gang.
Lawrence Bishnoi, who faces dozens of criminal cases, is currently lodged in a jail in Gujarat.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday that the trial of the murder case will take place in the fast-track court and encounter specialist Daya Nayak will investigate the incident.
He further said the Mumbai Police have been directed to maintain law and order and they should see that nobody takes law and order into their hands. "Gang war should not revive. Strict action should be taken against those indulging in such incidents."
Sachin Tendulkar honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at BCCI Naman Awards 2025
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honoured exceptional achievements in Indian cricket at the prestigious Naman Awards here on Saturday. A historic moment of the evening was the presentation of the coveted Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award to Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar,
Budget 2025-26 to boost incomes of street vendors, spruce up cities
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the setting up of a Rs 1 lakh crore fund for the development of cities and a revamp of the Prime Minister Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) to enhance the earnings of street vendors as part of her Budget proposals.
Eight MLAs who quit AAP join BJP, a blow for Kejriwal’s party before Delhi polls
With just four days to go before the Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, eight legislators who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.
80 patrols conducted along India-B'desh border, 40 village meetings held: BSF
Maintaining full cooperation with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), India's Border Security Force (BSF) has conducted nearly 80 simultaneous coordinated patrols along the India-Bangladesh frontiers in the recent past, officials said here on Saturday.
In true 'Vishwa Bandhu' spirit, India allocates Rs 5,483 crore for foreign aid in Union Budget 2025
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has allocated Rs 5,483 crore for aid to foreign nations, slightly higher than last year's Rs 4,883 crore, it was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 on Saturday.
200 new Vande Bharat trains, 100 Amrit Bharat trains in next 2-3 years: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Calling the Union Budget 2025-26 "amazing", Union Railways and Electronics and IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that with the big allocation to it, Indian Railways is all set to expand faster, safer and comfortable rail travel across the country.
Union Budget 2025: 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to be set up in govt schools in 5 years
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced to set up 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools in the next five years.
Israel releases 183 Palestinian prisoners in latest swap with Hamas
Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in the fourth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the ongoing truce deal with Hamas, according to Palestinian sources.