5 arrested accused initially sought Rs 50 lakh for Siddique murder: Police

Five accused arrested in connection with NCP leader Baba Siddique murder case the day before had demanded Rs 50 lakh for the job, but backed out later due to disagreement over payment and also considering the slain politician's clout, officials said. The five accused, residents of various areas of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, had prima facie provided logistical support to the shooters and were paid Rs 5 lakh, a crime branch official said on Saturday. 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, police said. According to crime branch officials, except Thombre, four others have criminal backgrounds. "The interrogation by police revealed that the Sapre-led module had demanded Rs 50 lakh from the mediator to kill Baba Siddique. Bu