Zeeshan Akhtar, a 22-year-old alleged mastermind in the murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique, was arrested in Canada on June 11, 2025, for a fake passport case. Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam confirmed that extradition efforts have begun to bring Akhtar back to India for interrogation. Akhtar, linked to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol, was contracted alongside Shubham Lonkar to orchestrate Siddique’s killing. The former Maharashtra minister was fatally shot in Mumbai’s Bandra area on October 12, 2024, with 25 arrests made so far.

Akhtar’s criminal ties extend beyond this case. Punjab Police named him a key conspirator in a grenade attack on BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s home in April 2025 and an attempted attack on YouTuber Rozer Sandhu’s residence. A video surfaced in February 2025, showing Akhtar claiming asylum with help from Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti, raising suspicions of international crime links.