CID intensifies probe as MahaYuti comes under fire in Beed sarpanch's murder case

Mumbai: As demand grows for ouster of NCP’s Dhananjay Munde from the MahaYuti-NDA government in the wake of his close aide Walmik Karad’s name cropping up in the gruesome murder of Santosh Deshmukh, a Sarpanch from the Beed district, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis faces a major political challenge in handling the issue.

In a related development, a team of Crime Investigation Department (CID) intensified the probe and scanned through volumes of documents and mobile phone call records on Sunday,

Days after the new BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP assumed office, Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister, faces its first big challenge in the form of the murder case.

Munde, the state’s Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister, who is from the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has come under the attack of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi because of his links with Karad, whose name has cropped up during the investigations.

Munde (49) hails from the Vanjari-OBC community and so is Karad. On the other hand, Deshmukh was a Maratha.

Munde’s cousin and state Environment, Climate Change and Animal Husbandry Minister. Pankaja Munde (45), who is a BJP MLC, too has come under fire for being silent on the issue.

Munde is the nephew of late Gopinath Munde, a stalwart of BJP and former Deputy CM.

Looking at the seriousness of the case, Fadnavis has asked the State CID to take over the case from the Beed police.

An officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police is heading the Special Investigation Team of the CID.

The CID is looking at three cases: the abduction and murder of Deshmukh, a three-time Sarpanch of Massajog in Kaij, extortion attempts from Avaada Group, a prominent renewable energy company and assault on its security guard.

Politicians, cutting across party lines, are demanding the ouster of Munde from the ministry and arrest of Karad and three other absconding accused.

“The Chief Minister has made a detailed reply during the Nagpur session of Maharashtra legislature…Devendra Ji would decide (on the issue of Munde),” said senior BJP leader and state Parliamentary Affairs and Higher and Technical Education.

Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale, who is the Employment Guarantee, Horticulture and Salt Pan Development Minister, said: “Devendra Ji, Shinde Saheb and Ajit Dada would decide.”

The four arrested accused are Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar and Pratik Ghule.

Three other co-accused and Karad are absconding.

“The CM has asked the CID to confiscate properties of the accused in the murder case,” officials said.

On the claims of anti-corruption crusader Anjali Damania said that the three wanted accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case of Beed might have been killed and their bodies were found in along Karnataka border as an unidentified person informed her on WhatsApp, the Beed police has sent a notice seeking details.

On the other hand, Damania launched a sit-in outside the Beed district Collector’s office and decided to stay put till the accused including Karad are caught.