Supreme Court Upholds Bail for Accused in High-Profile Murder Case

Supreme Court Decision on Bail

The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in the bail granted to Akashdeep Karj Singh, who is accused of murdering former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddiqui. The court stated that the Bombay High Court's ruling was "reasonable" and did not warrant reversal. Additionally, the court dismissed a petition challenging the relief granted to Singh by the late leader's widow, Shahjeen Ziauddin Siddiqui. Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Vishwanathan emphasized that the High Court had conducted a thorough review before granting bail on February 9 and warned against adopting a one-sided approach in criminal cases.

Arguments Presented in Court

During the proceedings, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, representing Shahjeen, remarked that the judge's (Justice Neela Gokhale) decision was well-considered, stating that not all individuals could be judged by the same standard. She attempted to link Singh to the Bishnoi gang, which the prosecution claims was behind the murder, but the bench was not convinced. They noted that the High Court had already evaluated the available evidence and found it insufficient to establish prima facie involvement. The Supreme Court remarked that the appeal lacked a strong foundation in light of the detailed conclusions drawn by the High Court.

State's Position on Bail

During the hearing, a lawyer representing the Maharashtra government intervened, informing the court that the state was also in the process of challenging the bail order. The bench responded sharply, stating, "Now that the deceased's wife is present before us, the state has awakened from its slumber."

Background of the Case

The Bombay High Court had previously granted bail to the 22-year-old Singh, making him the first accused to receive relief in connection with the murder of the three-time MLA Siddiqui. Siddiqui was killed on October 12, 2024, outside his son Zeeshan Siddiqui's office in Mumbai's Bandra (East) area. Singh was arrested in November 2024 from a border village in Punjab, after a sessions court denied his bail application in July 2025. In its detailed order, the High Court identified significant shortcomings in the prosecution's case. It found that the main allegation against Singh was that he allegedly made two international calls to members or associates of the Bishnoi organized crime gang. However, the court noted that the prosecution failed to identify the recipients of these calls or establish any connection between the calls and the alleged conspiracy. The High Court also examined confessions from co-accused individuals and found that none implicated Singh in planning or executing the murder. Even other evidence cited by the prosecution, such as a photograph allegedly showing Singh with a weapon and claims of financial transactions linked to the gang, were found lacking in solid evidence or connection to the crime.