NCP minister Dhananjay Munde resigned on Tuesday over allegations of a close aide바카라s involvement in the murder of village head Santosh Deshmukh
Over the past two months, the gruesome torture of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, provoked widespread outrage in Maharashtra, with allegations of the ruling BJP-led alliance government shielding a top minister over his alleged involvement in the brutal murder.
After disturbing video footage and images, including the heinous act of an accused urinating on Deshmukh's body surfaced in the media, Nationalist Congress Party MLA and Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Dhananjay Munde, resigned on Tuesday. Walmik Karad, a close aide of Munde, NCP leader Vishnu Chate and five other accused have been arrested in the murder.
The Munde family holds political clout in Beed. Dhananjay Munde is nephew of the late BJP leader Gopinath Munde and cousin of former BJP MP Pankaja Munde. He quit BJP in 2013 to join NCP.
He later switched ranks from Sharad Pawar바카라s faction to Ajit Pawar's following split in NCP in 2023. Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of the slain victim, had earlier accused Munde of being the head of a criminal syndicate in Beed involved in his brother바카라s murder.
The underlying OBC-Maratha rivalry in the murder case had also escalated communal tensions in the sensitive Marathwada region, which has been embroiled in caste-based identity politics and Maratha reservation agitation. The sarpanch Deshmukh hailed from the Maratha community while all other accused belong to the OBC Vanjari community. The OBC and Maratha communities have been at loggerheads after the former opposed the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category for reservation.
Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village, in Marathwada region바카라s Beed district, was abducted and killed on December 9, for opposing an extortion attempt of Rs 2 crore from a windmill company. He was assaulted by sharp weapons and an iron rod over 350 times.
As he pleaded for water in the dying moments an accused urinated in his mouth. The accused even recorded the barbarity in 15 videos, eight photos, and two video calls to an unidentified person, according to the details of the chargesheet filed by the state CID.
The CID had filed a 1800-page chargesheet of its investigation in three separate but related cases바카라Deshmukh바카라s murder, an extortion bid of Rs two crore from windmill company Avaada Group, and physical assault on the firm바카라s project manager바카라before a district court in Beed last week.
In May, six months before Deshmukh's murder, one of the accused Sudarshan Ghule, had kidnapped Sunil Shinde, a project officer with Avaada and threatened him with extortion. Deshmukh opposed the criminal gang바카라s attempts. He feared that such threats would lead Avaada to shut down operations, and affect the village economy and loss of livelihood.
Dhananjay Deshmukh, expressed dissatisfaction over Munde바카라s resignation. Speaking to media, he said the top brass of the government including CM Fadnavis and deputy CM from NCP, Ajit Pawar were aware about the brutality and the chain of events leading to lapses, but resisted from taking action against the mastermind. 바카라There was immense pressure on us, intimidating tactics and ploys were used to withdraw the case. The government had the photos and videos, they could have acted timely, but because of involvement of an elected representative바카라s close aide, no action was taken against him. We are still firm on our demand for justice,바카라 he said.
Dhananjay Deshumukh added that only Superintendent of police was transferred while the other police officials and district administration involved in the cover-up of the murder continued to serve in the official roles.
The opposition parties targeted the ruling Mahavikas Aghadi government바카라s delayed action in Deshmukh바카라s murder calling it a murderous regime. Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) leaders staged a demonstration at the state legislature on the first day of the budget session.
Congress leader Vijay Waddetivar said it was the government바카라s moral responsibility to take stringent action against Munde. 바카라The government has been protecting the accused despite all the available evidence against them. Karad and others, they are being given VIP treatment in prison,바카라 he said.
Sunil Tatkare, spokesperson of NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction assured party바카라s full support in the investigation. 바카라There should be strict action against the accused. The investigation has not revealed any involvement of Munde, but he has resigned taking moral responsibility of the case. Our party is firmly against any crime or illegal acts and will not support anyone involved in such activities.바카라