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Dhananjay Deshmukh, the brother of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, has claimed that the perpetrators of his brother's murder likely had political protection. Speaking on Thursday, Dhananjay expressed confidence that a thorough investigation would reveal whether the accused were shielded by political forces. He also called for the swift arrest of one remaining fugitive who has been on the run for over a month and demanded severe punishment for all those involved in the crime.
Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured, and brutally murdered on December 9, allegedly as retaliation for his attempts to curb extortion efforts against an energy company linked to a windmill project. Since the start of the investigation, seven individuals have been arrested, though one accused is still evading capture.
In a related development, Walmik Karad, an associate of Maharashtra's NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in connection with a related extortion case. Local residents in Paithan, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, organised a protest march on Thursday, demanding the arrest of all those involved and calling for stringent punishment for the offenders.
Dhananjay Deshmukh claimed, "There is an organised crime operation, and the criminals involved show no remorse. The protection they have likely been offered from certain quarters has emboldened them. They must have been told, 'Don't worry, we've got you covered.' The investigation will reveal whether political support was behind their actions," he said.
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He further pointed out that despite the passage of a month, one suspect remains at large, and many others are believed to have aided the criminals. "The accused had protection, which allowed them to commit this heinous act," Dhananjay added.
The slain sarpanch's family met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Tuesday, urging him to ensure justice in the case. They also informed the CM that several of the accused had criminal records, pressing for appropriate action against them. Chief Minister Fadnavis assured the family that all those involved in the murder would be caught and brought to justice.
(With inputs from PTI)
