Mumbai: The family of the late NCP politician Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Oct 2024, moved a special court on Friday seeking directions to Mumbai police to take custody of alleged gangster Anmol Bishnoi, an accused in the case who was deported from the US last Nov.The application, filed by Siddique’s wife, Shehzeen Siddique, accused the crime branch of evasion and lethargy, alleging that it had failed to act because of external pressure to shield the real masterminds behind the killing. It sought direction to the crime branch to explain why it had not taken any step so far after Bishnoi was deported.After his deportation, Bishnoi was taken into custody in a 2022 case over an alleged nexus between criminal gangs in India and Babbar Khalsa International, a terrorist organisation, to raise funds, recruit youths and carry out terror strikes. He has been lodged in Tihar jail.The plea, filed through advocates Pradip Gharat and Trivankumar Karnani, said Bishnoi’s interrogation would reveal the roles of those who ordered him to conspire with other co-accused to commit the murder. It alleged that the investigating agency was avoiding taking his custody to prevent the names of the “actual” conspirators from coming out.The application said that once an investigating agency learns the whereabouts of a wanted accused, it is duty-bound to secure their custody to uncover missing links and strengthen the case. It said failure to do so was adversely affecting the trial.The plea said Siddique’s daughter, Arshia, took personal efforts to track down Bishnoi and learnt that he was in custody in Iowa, US, before being deported to India on Nov 18, 2025. It said the family’s doubts deepened because police allegedly failed to act on statements made by Siddique’s son, Zeeshan, including names he had mentioned.Zeeshan and Arshia had filed RTI applications seeking information on steps to secure Bishnoi’s custody. The plea said police denied them information on whether the investigating officer would seek his extradition or custody.The court directed the prosecution to submit its reply.Bishnoi, also wanted in the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence, recently moved the special trial court in that case seeking to surrender. Police there, too, have not sought his custody.Siddique (66) was killed on Oct 12, 2024, outside Zeeshan’s office in Bandra East. In Feb, charges for murder and offences under MCOCA were framed against 27 accused, allegedly linked to a crime syndicate headed by Bishnoi.
