Beed Sarpanch Case: What led to Dhananjay Munde’s expulsion from Fadnavis cabinet? The shocking torture and murder of sarpanch that shook Maharashtra politics | Mumbai News – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The departure of Dhananjay Munde from his ministerial position on Tuesday in Maharashtra represents a significant turning point following the December 9 killing of a village head, which exposed serious concerns about rural governance in the state and the troubling connections between criminal activities and political influence that affect development initiatives.
The investigation into the death of Santosh Deshmukh, the 45-year-old sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, uncovered that he had attempted to prevent extortionists from targeting a wind energy company operating in the area.
Brutality captured in videos and photos
- Assailants recorded 15 videos, clicked eight photos, and made two video calls while torturing and killing Santosh Deshmukh.
- The videos and photos have been included in the Crime Investigation Department (CID) chargesheet submitted to a court in Beed district.
- The videos were captured on a smartphone belonging to one of the accused, Mahesh Kedar, with durations ranging from 2 seconds to 2.04 minutes.
Incident details
- Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted on December 9, 2024, at Dongaon toll plaza.
- He was taken in an SUV, followed by a silver Swift car, towards Kej taluka.
- Later that evening, he was found unconscious at Daithna Shivar near Nandur Ghat Road.
- The Beed police search team rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Motive behind the murder
- Deshmukh was killed for resisting an extortion bid on an energy company.
- His body bore multiple injuries and signs of extreme brutality.
Details of torture
According to officials, Deshmukh was subjected to a brutal assault by the accused from 3:30pm to 6:00pm, during which they used multiple weapons, including a 41-inch gas pipe with a handle wrapped in black string, a white plastic pipe, an iron rod with five clutch wires, wooden sticks, and sharp weapons known as “fighter” and “dharkatti.”
Torture captured on videos
- One video shows five accused, including Sudarshan Ghule, thrashing Deshmukh with a white pipe and wooden stick, while also kicking and punching him.
- Another video depicts Deshmukh in a half-naked state, forced to sit on the ground while enduring the assault.
- In a separate recording, accused Sudarshan Ghule is seen forcing Deshmukh to chant, “Sudarshan Ghule is the father of all.”
- The chargesheet further reveals that another accused urinated on Deshmukh, who was bleeding profusely from the injuries.
Video calls made during the assault
- Wanted accused Krishna Andhale made two WhatsApp video calls from his phone at 5:14 PM and 5:26 PM.
- The chargesheet does not specify to whom the calls were made.
Arrests and investigation
- Seven men have been arrested, including Walmik Karad, a close aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde.
- One accused remains absconding.
- The CID investigation revealed that accused Sudarshan Ghule runs a crime syndicate in Beed district.
- His gang is involved in 11 serious criminal cases and operates in Kej, Ambajogai, Dharur (Beed district), and Kalamb (Dharashiv district).
- Ghule, Karad, and Vishnu Chate were in contact before and after Deshmukh’s murder.
Dhananjay Munde resigns amid Opposition pressure as CID chargesheet names close aide in Deshmukh murder case
The CID’s chargesheet in the Deshmukh murder case and two associated cases has identified Walmik Karad, a close associate of Munde, as the primary accused.
The opposition’s persistent calls for Munde’s dismissal from the cabinet ultimately led to his resignation.
On Monday, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis conducted a late-night consultation with deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, which included Munde and other senior NCP officials, to address the situation.
The pressure from the opposition for Munde’s departure increased after disturbing photographs and court chargesheet particulars emerged, exposing the violent acts committed prior to Deshmukh’s murder.
Munde in his post on X said, “It has been my firm demand since day one that the accused in the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh should be given the strictest punishment. Seeing the photos that surfaced yesterday, I was deeply saddened.”
He said the investigation into this matter has been completed and the chargesheet has been filed in the court.
“Listening to my conscience and considering that my health has not been good for the past few days, doctor has advised me to undergo treatment for the next few days. Therefore, also for medical reasons, I have submitted my resignation from the cabinet to the Hon’ble chief minister,” he said.
Santosh Deshmukh’s stand against extortion
The village head, Santosh Deshmukh, was concerned that intimidation and ransom demands could lead Avaada and similar organisations to cease their activities in Massajog, affecting the residents’ income sources. With firm resolve, he confronted Ghule. On December 6, Ghule and his associates assaulted several Avaada staff members at their premises. Santosh Deshmukh and others intervened to halt the violence.
Police investigations revealed that the perpetrators viewed Santosh Deshmukh as an obstacle to their schemes and plotted his elimination. Walmik Karad, identified as the primary conspirator, allegedly instructed his accomplices to eliminate anyone interfering with their extortion activities.
Despite receiving numerous threats, Deshmukh remained steadfast. Following his non-compliance, he was kidnapped and killed on December 9. Investigators established communication links between Ghule, Karad and Vishnu Chate both prior to and following Deshmukh’s death
