A threatening message was received on the Mumbai Traffic Police's WhatsApp number, demanding ₹5 crore from Bollywood actor Salman Khan, according to a report by news agency ANI, citing Mumbai Police sources.
The message included a warning that if the money was not paid, "Salman Khan's fate would be worse than Baba Siddique’s."
The sender stated, "If Salman Khan wants to live and resolve his issues with Lawrence Bishnoi, he must pay ₹5 crore. If the payment is not made, his condition will be worse than Baba Siddique." Mumbai Police has launched an investigation into the threat, ANI reported.
Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old leader of the Nationalist Congress Party and former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead on October 12 outside the office of his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, in Bandra, Mumbai.
So far, the police have arrested four suspects: Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), from Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), from Uttar Pradesh, who are alleged shooters, as well as Harishkumar Balakram Nisad (23), and Pravin Lonkar, brother of Shubham Lonkar, who is considered a co-conspirator. Pravin Lonkar is from Pune.
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In a related development, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was arrested in connection with a plot to kill Salman Khan, a day after the threatening message was received. The accused, Sukhbir Balbir Singh, also known as Sukha, was apprehended in Panipat, Haryana, by Navi Mumbai police officers, as reported by PTI.
Sukhbir Singh allegedly contracted members of the Bishnoi gang to carry out the murder of Salman Khan, and was reportedly in communication with his handler, Dogar, based in Pakistan. Authorities believe the gang intended to use weapons from Pakistan, such as AK-47s and M16 rifles, to execute the plan.
The accused will be presented in court after being brought to Navi Mumbai, where police will also question him about the murder of Baba Siddique.
Earlier this year, on April 24, Navi Mumbai police registered a case against 18 identified individuals from the Bishnoi gang, along with others, for conspiring to kill Salman Khan. The conspiracy was uncovered following a shooting outside the actor’s residence in Bandra, allegedly carried out by members of the Bishnoi gang.
Gang members including Lawrence Bishnoi, his brother Anmol, Sampat Nehra, Goldie Brar, and Rohit Godhara were named as accused in the FIR. Five members of the gang were arrested in this case: Dhananjay Kashyap, alias Ajay Nahvi; Gaurav Bhatia; Waspi Khan, alias Wasim Chikna; Rizwan Khan, alias Javed; and Deepak Hawa Singh, alias John.
Further investigation revealed that around 60 to 70 members of the Bishnoi and Sampat Nehra gangs were monitoring Salman Khan’s movements, conducting reconnaissance at his Bandra home, Panvel farmhouse, and film shooting locations. The accused were allegedly attempting to recruit minors as sharp shooters using weapons from Pakistan.
Salman Khan had earlier informed police that he believed the Bishnoi gang was responsible for the firing at his residence, intending to harm him and his family.
