Baba Siddique Murder Case: Man Who offered Financial Aid To Suspects Arrested

File Photo

In a significant development in the ongoing investigation of the Baba Siddique murder case, the Maharashtra Police arrested Sumit Dinkar Wagh, a 26-year-old man from Nagpur, on Friday. Wagh is the 26th person to be arrested in connection with the crime.

He was apprehended by a crime branch team that traveled to Nagpur as part of their investigation. Wagh is being brought back to Mumbai for further questioning.

According to officials, Wagh played a key role in transferring money to several suspects involved in the murder. He allegedly provided financial support to Nareshkumar Singh, the brother of an earlier arrested accused, Gurnail Singh, as well as other individuals linked to the crime, including Rupesh Mohol and Harishkumar. 

The transactions were made via internet banking, and Wagh used a newly procured SIM card, which was registered under the name of Salman Vora, another arrested accused. Vora had been taken into custody on November 17 by the Akola Crime Branch in relation to the case.

Ties to Wanted Accused Shubham Lonkar

Investigators have revealed that Wagh’s actions were carried out under the direction of Shubham Lonkar, a wanted individual with ties to the same tehsil as Wagh—Akot. The two men are known to have been close friends and collegemates. Lonkar’s involvement in the case, along with his connections to the crime, is central to the ongoing investigation.

 Arrest of Main Shooter

The investigation received a significant breakthrough on November 10, when Shivkumar Gautam, the alleged main shooter in the case, was apprehended in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district.

Gautam had been on the run since October 12 and was arrested while attempting to cross into Nepal. Authorities believe that Gautam played a crucial role in the execution of the crime and had even visited the crime scene in Bandra East after the murder. Additionally, he was seen at Lilavati Hospital in Bandra West, where he went to confirm that Siddique had died.