MUMBAI: A special court for cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Tuesday framed charges against all 27 accused arrested in connection with the October 2024 murder of senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, paving the way for the trial to commence. All the accused pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out in court.
Fifteen of the 27 accused were produced in court physically from Arthur Road jail and Kalyan jail under tight security arrangements on Tuesday. The remaining 12, lodged in Thane jail, were presented via video conferencing. After recording their pleas, the court posted the matter for further hearing on February 24, when the trial is expected to move into the evidence stage.
Siddique was shot dead on October 12, 2024, outside the Bandra (East) office of his son, former MLA Zeeshan Siddique. The prosecution’s case is that three assailants opened fire at close range as he exited the premises, causing fatal injuries. The brazen evening shooting in a busy suburban locality had triggered a high-profile investigation led by the Mumbai police’s crime branch.
Investigators have alleged that the killing was not an isolated act but the result of a larger, premeditated conspiracy involving multiple actors tasked with logistics, reconnaissance, harbouring of shooters, and financial facilitation. During the probe, the police arrested 27 individuals, many of whom are in their twenties. They invoked the stringent provisions of MCOCA, contending that an organised crime syndicate committed the offence.
The charges framed by the court include offences under MCOCA, sections relating to murder and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as violations of the Arms Act. Framing of charges signifies that the court has found sufficient prima facie material to proceed to trial, though it does not amount to a finding of guilt.
Gangster Anmol Bishnoi has been named as a wanted accused in the case. He was brought to India from the United States in November 2025 in connection with another case. The police claim the attack was executed at his instructions. According to the prosecution, the alleged motive was twofold: Siddiqui’s perceived proximity to actor Salman Khan, and an attempt by the syndicate to establish its supremacy and secure pecuniary benefits by projecting its reach and influence.
Bail has so far eluded almost all the accused. Akashdeep Karaj Singh, 22, remains the sole accused out on bail, having secured relief from the Bombay High Court earlier on Monday. On Tuesday, the special court, even as it framed charges against all the accused, rejected the bail applications of co-accused Shivam Arvind Kohad and Karan Rahul Salve, observing that the case involves serious allegations under special legislation meant to curb organised crime.
With the charges now settled and pleas recorded, the prosecution will next begin presenting evidence, including eyewitness accounts, forensic material, call data records, and other documentary evidence to establish the alleged conspiracy.