<p>Mumbai: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra">Maharashtra</a> government on Wednesday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the gruesome murder of Santosh Desmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Kaij tehsil of Beed district of Maharashtra, which has snowballed into a major political issue.</p><p>Deshmukh (45), a three-time sarpanch, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered on December 9, 2024, for putting up a resistance against an extortion syndicate. </p><p>The Pune-headquartered Crime Intelligence Department (CID) is already conducting a probe into the incident, after having taken over the investigation from the Beed police.</p><p>The SIT would be headed by CID’s Deputy Inspector General Basavraj Teli and would comprise officials of CID, Beed police, and the Beed Crime Branch. </p>.Beed sarpanch murder: Villagers stage 'jal samadhi' protest to demand arrest of accused.<p>During the Nagpur winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature, Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/devendra-fadnavis">Devendra Fadnavis</a>, who is also the state Home Minister, assured a thorough probe into the incident. </p><p>Four persons have been arrested in connection with the case—Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, and Pratik Ghule. </p><p>Three others are wanted in the case. </p><p>On Tuesday, Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde who was wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder, surrendered before the State CID headquarters in Pune.</p><p>The CID is looking at three cases -the abduction and murder of Deshmukh, extortion attempts from Avaada Group, a prominent renewable energy company, as well as assault on its security guard. </p><p>In a related development, around 40 locals, comprising both men and women, stood waist-deep in a local lake, underscoring their demands of arrest of the accused in the case. The protest was brought to a halt after two hours when Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat visited the site, promising efforts to apprehend the fugitives.</p>
<p>Mumbai: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra">Maharashtra</a> government on Wednesday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the gruesome murder of Santosh Desmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Kaij tehsil of Beed district of Maharashtra, which has snowballed into a major political issue.</p><p>Deshmukh (45), a three-time sarpanch, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered on December 9, 2024, for putting up a resistance against an extortion syndicate. </p><p>The Pune-headquartered Crime Intelligence Department (CID) is already conducting a probe into the incident, after having taken over the investigation from the Beed police.</p><p>The SIT would be headed by CID’s Deputy Inspector General Basavraj Teli and would comprise officials of CID, Beed police, and the Beed Crime Branch. </p>.Beed sarpanch murder: Villagers stage 'jal samadhi' protest to demand arrest of accused.<p>During the Nagpur winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature, Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/devendra-fadnavis">Devendra Fadnavis</a>, who is also the state Home Minister, assured a thorough probe into the incident. </p><p>Four persons have been arrested in connection with the case—Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, and Pratik Ghule. </p><p>Three others are wanted in the case. </p><p>On Tuesday, Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde who was wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder, surrendered before the State CID headquarters in Pune.</p><p>The CID is looking at three cases -the abduction and murder of Deshmukh, extortion attempts from Avaada Group, a prominent renewable energy company, as well as assault on its security guard. </p><p>In a related development, around 40 locals, comprising both men and women, stood waist-deep in a local lake, underscoring their demands of arrest of the accused in the case. The protest was brought to a halt after two hours when Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat visited the site, promising efforts to apprehend the fugitives.</p>