Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog in Beed district of Maharashtra, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 after he intervened to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the area, as per police
Ramdas Athawale. File Pic
Just attaching the properties of the accused in the Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case is not enough, the accused must be arrested as soon as possible, Union minister Ramdas Athawale said on Monday, reported the PTI.
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Ramdas Athawale made the statement after meeting the kin of the deceased.
Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog in Beed district of Maharashtra, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 after he intervened to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the area, as per police, according to the PTI.
While several persons have been arrested so far, a political tussle is underway over Walmik Karad, an accused in the extortion case linked to the murder who is reportedly a close aide of Parli MLA and state minister Dhananjay Munde, as per the PTI.
On December 28, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to confiscate the properties of the accused in the Deshmukh murder case.
"Merely attaching properties will not do. The culprits should be arrested as soon as possible. The issue is serious and police must not work under any kind of pressure," said Athawale, the Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment, the news agency reported.
Citing the delay in cracking the case and arresting the absconding accused, Athawale said this was not acceptable when CM Fadnavis had already assured the assembly of a speedy probe.
If the police had acted promptly when the energy firm's security guard Ashok Sonawane had approached them alleging assault, then the murder of Santosh Deshmukh could have been avoided, Athawale claimed.
Ramdas Athawale said he would meet CM Devendra Fadnavis to ensure the kin of Santosh Deshmukh get justice as soon as possible, the PTI reported.
Hand over probe to CBI as Maharashtra govt doing nothing, says Wadettiwar
Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Sunday said the probe into the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed must be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the news agency reported.
Wadettiwar said the Devendra Fadnavis government can arrest the accused in 24 hours if it wanted to but was doing nothing despite all fingers pointing towards one person.
Massajog sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted, tortured and killed on December 9 after he intervened to stop an extortion bid against an energy firm which had undertaken a windmill project in the area, as per police.
Police have registered two cases in connection with the chain of events, one pertaining to Deshmukh's murder and the other of extortion based on the energy firm's complaint.
"The government is turning a blind eye to the corruption and deteriorating law and order situation in Beed. All fingers are pointing to Walmik Karad whose relation with NCP minister Dhananjay Munde is well known. Till Karad (named in the extortion case) has political blessings, the family of sarpanch Deshmukh will not get justice," he alleged while speaking to reporters here.
(with PTI inputs)
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