Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddiqui was shot dead in Mumbai on Saturday evening by three unknown assassins. He sustained three gunshot wounds and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. As investigations continue into his murder, two suspects have already been arrested, while authorities are actively pursuing additional leads.
The shooting occurred outside the office of his son, Zeeshan Siddiqui, near the Kherwadi signal in Nirmal Nagar, Bandra. Baba Siddiqui was a significant figure in Maharashtra politics, having served as an MLA three times.
Mumbai slum redevelopment scam
In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached Baba Siddiqui's assets worth Rs 462 crore, located in Bandra West, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation focused on allegations that he had misused his position as Chairman of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) from 2000 to 2004 to assist Pyramid Developers with a slum rehabilitation project. This alleged scam was estimated to involve Rs 2,000 crore.
Speculation suggests that issues related to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) redevelopment could be linked to Siddiqui's murder, especially since his son had been protesting against this matter recently.
During the investigation, the ED expressed concerns that the company involved in the Rs 2,000 crore slum scam might have been a front for Baba Siddiqui. The Mumbai Police registered a case in March 2014 based on a complaint filed by resident Abdul Salam in 2012, alleging irregularities in housing allocations within the SRA project. Siddiqui and 150 others were named in this case.
