Jalandhar man accused of NCP leader Siddique's murder held in Canada

He has been named as key accused behind grenade attack on BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia's house on April 7, this year

- HT Correspondent

MUMBAI: Zeeshan Akhtar, an alleged key conspirator in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, has been "arrested" in Canada, Maharashtra minister of state for home, Yogesh Kadam said on Wednesday. Akhtar (22) was held in a fake passport case.

"Zeeshan, who was involved in the Baba Siddiqui murder case, has been arrested in Canada. We have initiated the process to bring him back to India. We will interrogate him further (after bringing him back)," Kadam told the media.

Punjab Police had named Akhtar, 22, as a key conspirator behind the grenade attack on senior BJP leader and former state minister Manoranjan Kalia's house in the wee hours on April 7. No one was injured in the attack. He was also booked for a grenade attack on YouTuber Rozer Sandhu's house on March 16. However, the grenade didn't explode.

As per Mumbai police, jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol had given a contract to Zeeshan Akhtar and Shubham Lonkar to carry out the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader's murder. Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead in Bandra area on October 12, 2024. Police have arrested at least 25 persons in the case so far.