Maharashtra: Panel formed for judicial probe into Beed sarpanch murder

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The Maharashtra government has set up a single-member committee of retired high court judge M L Tahaliyani for a judicial inquiry into the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district, officials said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI.

Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, was abducted, allegedly tortured, and murdered on December 9.

Preliminary investigations indicated that Deshmukh had tried to resist an extortion attempt on an energy company operating a windmill project in the area.

Police have arrested several persons in connection with the Beed sarpanch murder case.

Walmik Karad, an associate of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Deshmukh, has been arrested in a related extortion case and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Beed sarpanch murder on Wednesday took him into seven-day custody, reported PTI.

The judicial committee will determine whether any individual or organisation was responsible for Deshmukh's death, as per the government order issued on Wednesday.

It will also assess the adequacy of police and district administration resources during the incident, evaluate the actions taken by law enforcement agencies, and identify any officers who may be accountable.

The committee is also tasked with suggesting measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future, the order said.

The government on Wednesday also set up a one-member committee of retired judge V L Achalia for a judicial inquiry into the custodial death of Parbhani protester Somnath Suryavanshi, reported PTI.

The committee will investigate the sequence of events and reasons concerning the custodial death of the Dalit protester. The panel will also probe into the steps taken by the Parbhani police to handle the situation during the violence, as per officials, reported PTI.

Suryavanshi, 35, died at a state-run hospital in Parbhani on December 15 while in judicial custody, days after he was arrested in connection with violence in Parbhani over the desecration of the glass-encased replica of the Constitution.

Police had said Suryavanshi died after falling ill.

Both the committees are required to submit their findings to the government within three to six months, as per the order, reported PTI.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month announced judicial probes into the two incidents, following discussions over them in the winter session of the state legislature.

(With inputs from PTI)