Mumbai police constable dismissed over negligence in Baba Siddique murder case

Baba Siddique was shot dead in Bandra East on October 12. 2024 (File pic)

Police authorities have terminated the service of a constable who was deputed as a bodyguard of former NCP leader Baba Siddique on charges of dereliction of duty, officials said.

Veteran Maharashtra leader Baba Siddique, 66, was shot dead by three men outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Mumbai's Bandra East area on the night of October 12, 2024.

Constable Shyam Sonawane, deputed at the Protection and Security branch of Mumbai Police, had been assigned as Siddique's bodyguard.

A further inquiry had indicated that Sonawane showed negligence and irresponsible behaviour, leading to his suspension, an official said on Saturday.

Sonawane, following the inquiry, was then served a show-cause notice, asking why he should not be removed from service.

The officials said that, on May 2, Sonawane accepted the punishment of termination.

Zeeshan Siddique alleged that the police are protecting builders

Days after Baba Siddique was shot dead in Bandra, Zeeshan Siddique asked how the police arrived at the motive for his father's murder without interrogating the accused.

The motive behind my father's assassination, as outlined in the charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Crime Branch, is nothing but an eyewash and a cover-up. I strongly suspect the builder lobby is behind my father's murder, and I have revealed everything to the Mumbai Crime Branch, including the names of the builders I suspect. But no investigation has been conducted," said Zeeshan Siddique, son of political leader Baba Siddique, who was assassinated on October 12, 2024.

As per the charge sheet, the Crime Branch has identified three motives behind Siddique's assassination: His close association with Salman Khan; the Bishnoi gang's aim to establish supremacy in Mumbai to extort from Bollywood and businessmen; and the custodial death of Anuj Thapan, an accused in the Salman Khan firing case, which the Bishnoi gang alleges was a murder carried out on Salman Khan's instructions.

Zeeshan also said, "I want to ask the authorities what steps have been taken regarding my allegations. Which builders have been summoned, and were their mobile tower locations checked?" Siddique said while speaking with Mid-Day. "While I will not reveal the names of the builder publicly, all of them are mentioned in my statement."

(With inputs from PTI)