Court asks Mumbai Police what steps were taken to secure Anmol Bishnoi's custody

A special court in Mumbai has asked the police to submit a detailed report on the steps taken so far to take custody of Anmol Bishnoi, an accused in the murder of former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique. The court has given the prosecution until October 28 to place these details on record.

The direction came after members of the Siddique family alleged that the prosecution was deliberately delaying action and had failed to comply with the court's earlier orders.

The matter is not new. On July 10, the special court constituted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) directed the police to take every legally permissible step to ensure Bishnoi's presence. The order was passed on an application by Siddique's family, which sought a direction to the prosecution to take his custody.

On August 5, the court issued a show-cause notice to the investigating officer, asking why Bishnoi had not been produced before the court through video conferencing.

At Wednesday's hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Mahesh Mule told the court that the investigating officer was not present as the officer was unwell. Mule sought more time to submit details of the steps taken to secure Bishnoi's presence. He assured the court that the prosecution would provide the necessary information at the next hearing.

Advocates Pradeep Gharat and Trivankumar Karnani, appearing for the Siddique family, opposed granting more time. They said the prosecution was needlessly prolonging the proceedings and had failed to follow the court's earlier directions.

After hearing both sides, the court gave the prosecution until October 28 to file the report. The court specifically said the officers must submit a written account of the efforts made to secure Bishnoi's presence in the case.

Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12, 2024, outside the office of his son Zeeshan Siddique in Bandra East, Mumbai. Anmol Bishnoi, brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has been named a wanted accused in the case.

The court's latest direction comes while legal proceedings are under way to take the necessary steps to bring Anmol Bishnoi into the murder case, so that the investigation and trial can proceed in accordance with law.