Beed murder: Minister ’s associate surrenders

Pune, PTI: 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 the police in Pune on Tuesday. While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, facing heat over the law-and-order situation, said no “goondaraj” will be tolerated in the state, the Opposition questioned the police’s failure to nab Karad for about three weeks. Before turning himself in, Karad posted a video on social media, claiming that he was being linked to the murder for reasons of political vendetta.

The Fadnavis-led coalition government, sworn in on December 5, finds itself in a tricky situation because of Karad’s links with Dhananjay Munde, and also because of the caste angle. While the victim was a Maratha, the accused are from the OBC Vanjari community. Inspector General of Police Sarang Awad said after Karad surrendered, a preliminary inquiry was conducted and he was handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) team at Beed which is investigating the murder and extortion cases. Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej tehsil of Beed district, was abducted and brutally killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company.

Four persons were earlier arrested in the murder case, while Karad was named as a wanted accused in the extortion case. On Tuesday morning, Karad, with his associates, arrived outside the CID office in Pune in a car. Before that, he released a video where he said, “I am surrendering before CID officials in Pune in a fake case registered against me. Those who are involved in Santosh Deshmukh’s case should be punished and hanged to death.

My name is being taken in the case due to political vendetta.” The Opposition had alleged during the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature that Karad was the “mastermind” of the murder. On Saturday, thousands of people participated in a huge protest march in Beed city to demand Karad’s arrest. MLAs of the ruling Mahayuti coalition including those of the BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also attended the protest.