Mumbai Court Orders Trial In Absentia For Baba Siddique Murder Accused

A Mumbai court has ordered a trial in absentia for two accused, Shubham Lonkar and Yasin Akhtar, in the Baba Siddique murder case. The court's decision comes after the two failed to appear despite warrants and proclamations issued against them.

The Mumbai police had obtained warrants against Lonkar and Akhtar in January 2025, and a proclamation was issued on July 20. However, they did not appear before the court. The special public prosecutor, Mahesh Mule, moved an application to conduct the trial in their absence under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The special MCOCA judge, Satyanarayan R. Navander, allowed the plea, observing that the proclamations had been duly published and served. The court declared Lonkar and Akhtar proclaimed offenders, stating that they had absconded to evade trial.

The court has ordered the appointment of lawyers from the legal aid panel to represent the two accused in their absence and conduct the trial. According to the prosecution, Akhtar was in contact with arrested accused through social media, while Lonkar had financial transactions with them and is an active member of the gang.