5 suspects had sought Rs 50 lakh for murder: Cops

The Mumbai Police probing the Baba Siddique murder case have found that the five newly arrested accused had demanded Rs 50 lakh for the killing, but backed out later due to disagreement over payment and also considering the NCP leader’s clout, an official said.

They, however, provided logistical and other support to those involved in shooting the former MLA dead, he added. The city police’s crime branch on Friday held the five accused for allegedly providing firearms and logistical support to the shooters of Baba Siddique, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine. Three key persons are on the run.

They were identified as Nitin Gautam Sapre (32), Sambhaji Kisan Pardhi (44), Pradeep Dattu Thombre (37), Chetan Dilip Pardhi and Ram Fulchand Kanoujia (43). Sapre is from Dombivali, while Pardhi, Thombre and Pardhi (27) are from Ambernath in Thane district. Kanoujia is a resident of Panvel in Raigad, the police said.