Beed sarpanch murder: SIT questions three persons, including man close to absconding accused

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department probing the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has questioned three persons, sources said on Friday.

Massajog sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the region.

One of the persons who was questioned is a doctor and is close to absconding accused Sudarshan Ghule, they added.

Police believe this man helped Ghule flee.

Several police teams have been deployed to arrest those on the run, they said.

Meanwhile, Vishnu Chate, one of the persons arrested in the extortion case linked to Deshmukh's murder, told CID officials he had called the project manager of the energy company from his mobile phone.

He also told police there was a conversation with key accused Walmik Karad and the project manager, sources said.

Karad was arrested by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Pune after he surrendered on Tuesday in connection with a Rs 2 crore extortion case linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Karad was remanded in a 14-day police custody.