Fact Check: Did Devendra Fadnavis Celebrate Violence After Baba Siddique’s Death?

The fact-check article addresses the aftermath of the murder of Baba Siddique, a prominent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who was shot dead on October 12, 2024, in Mumbai. Following this incident, a poster featuring Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis holding a gun with the phrase "revenge is complete" began circulating on social media. This led to claims that the posters were linked to Siddique's murder, suggesting a connection between Fadnavis and the crime.

Claim

The claim asserts that posters of Devendra Fadnavis holding a gun were put up across Mumbai after Baba Siddique's murder, implying that Fadnavis was involved in or supportive of the violence surrounding Siddique's death. This claim is false.

Fact

Investigations revealed that these posters were not related to Siddique's murder but were instead displayed following the police encounter of an accused in a separate sexual assault case in Badlapur on September 23, 2024. The posters were put up prior to Siddique's murder and were intended to celebrate law enforcement actions. The top three sources confirming this fact are:

1. Hindustan Times

2. The Quint

3. Aaj Tak

Conclusion

The fact-check categorizes the claim as False Content, as it misrepresents the timing and context of the posters in relation to Baba Siddique's murder.