Mumbai: In a major revelation, the Mumbai Crime Branch has claimed that Zeeshan Akhtar, the prime fugitive accused in the Baba Siddique murder case, is hiding in Nepal and has established links with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.

According to sources, the revelation came after a viral social media post asserted that Zeeshan was not affiliated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. This prompted a fresh investigation line, during which police found possible ISI involvement and Zeeshan’s alleged role in a grenade attack at BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s residence in Jalandhar.

Zeeshan is also suspected of collaborating with gangster Shehzad Bhatti, a known ISI operative. This is the second time his name has been linked with Bhatti. Earlier this year, Zeeshan had released a video claiming innocence in Siddique’s murder and revealed he had support from Bhatti.

Investigators say Zeeshan was named by two accused arrested in the Jalandhar attack. Intelligence suggests he may now be acting under ISI directives for anti-India operations.

A native of Jalandhar, Zeeshan was previously lodged in Patiala jail before his release in June 2024. He faces several serious charges in Punjab, including murder, robbery, and conspiracy. He also reportedly has ties with notorious gangsters such as Shubham Lonkar, Saurabh Mahakal, and suspected links to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Pakistan-based operatives.

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Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.

The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.

According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.

In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.

In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.

The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.

In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.

The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.

The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.

Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.