Before going to the police, Karad posted a video on social media, announcing that he would surrender and claimed his name was being taken in the murder case due to political vendetta
Walmik Karad. Pic/Screengrab
The officials said that Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde's close aide Walmik Karad, wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, surrendered before police in Pune on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.
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VIDEO | Maharashtra: Walmik Karad, accused in the murder case of Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, surrendered at the CID office in Pune, earlier today.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 31, 2024
Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog in Beed, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 after he intervened to stop an… pic.twitter.com/UhDa722fl6
Before going to the police, Karad posted a video on social media, announcing that he would surrender and claimed his name was being taken in the murder case due to political vendetta, reported PTI.
According to police, Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and brutally killed on December 9 allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some individuals who had demanded money from a windmill company in Beed district, reported PTI.
Four persons were earlier arrested in the case.
On Tuesday, Karad along with associates arrived in a car at the Crime Investigation Department's (CID) office in Pune's Pashan area and surrendered before the police, the officials said, reported PTI.
Before going to the CID office, Karad released a video wherein he said, "I am surrendering before the CID officials in Pune in a fake case registered against me in Kej taluka of Beed district. Those who are involved in Santosh Deshmukh's case should be punished and hanged to death. My name is allegedly being taken in the case due to political vendetta," reported PTI.
On Saturday, thousands of people participated in a silent protest march in Beed city to demand Karad's arrest in the sarpanch murder case.
Opposition parties and a BJP MLA have accused NCP minister Dhananjay Munde of having close links with his aide Walmik Karad, and have demanded his resignation for an impartial probe into the murder case.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, has announced a judicial probe into the murder of the sarpanch.
Murdered sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's brother approached the Bombay High Court on Monday seeking its direction to the Maharashtra government to "cancel" the ministerial post of NCP leader Dhananjay Munde for ensuring fair probe.
The petitioner claimed Munde had been associated with the head of a criminal syndicate in Beed who has allegedly played a prominent role in the murder of the Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
The petitioner requested that the Aurangabad bench of the high court allow his petition.
(With inputs from PTI)
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