Beed sarpanch murder case: Munde terms allegations false, invokes 'emotional turmoil' of his children

Dhananjay Munde. File Pic

In the eye of a political firestorm triggered by the Beed sarpanch murder case, Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday said one should think of the emotional condition of his children while he is facing false allegations, reported the PTI.

The Opposition has demanded Dhananjay Munde's ouster from the state cabinet after his close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in an extortion case linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Massajog sarpanch, last month.

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"When a person faces false allegations, imagine what would be happening to his school-going children? What would be their classmates telling them?" Munde told reporters, as per the PTI.

However, allegations and demands for Munde's resignation continue unabated.

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas on Tuesday said Deputy CM Ajit Pawar who heads NCP is supposed to take a call on the growing demand for Munde's resignation, and not Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as per the PTI.

Dhas said he never demanded Munde's resignation.

"Dhananjay Munde belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party and only Ajit Pawar can decide on his resignation, not CM Fadnavis," Dhas told reporters.

He said NCP MLA Prakash Solanke from Beed district had demanded Munde's resignation.

"People are organising protest rallies. Munde's colleagues in NCP want him removed, so it is up to Ajit Pawar to decide," the BJP leader said, the news agency reported.

Activist Anjali Damania met Pawar on Monday and demanded Munde's resignation.

Anjali Damania claimed she provided evidence of Munde's alleged involvement in a company linked to the lifting of fly ash from the Parli thermal plant. She alleged this constitutes an office of profit, which could even lead to Munde losing his MLA status.

Dhananjay Munde represents the Parli assembly segment in the Beed district of Maharashtra.

Dhas claimed Dhananjay Munde's cousin and state minister Pankaja Munde had last year hinted at his links with Walmik Karad at a Dussehra gathering in Bhagvangad which needs to be probed.

"She had said Karad is a person without whom Munde cannot take a single step. This, along with the viral audio clip of Karad, must be seen together to determine Munde's role in the issue," he said.

The audio clip, allegedly featuring Karad and a Beed police officer, has sparked a fresh controversy.

Dhas demanded a thorough investigation into the clip and questioned the links between Karad and local police officials.

Dhas claimed that Parli tehsil received more than Rs 300 crore in funds between 2019 and 2024, while other tehsils in the district received around Rs 100 crore each when Dhananjay Munde was the guardian minister of Beed district.

The BJP MLA alleged corruption in the Parli municipal council, stating records show Rs 46 crore was paid to Vishnu Chate, who is now an accused in the Deshmukh murder case, for repeated construction works on the same road.

He alleged some police officers in Beed were not transferred for years and demanded an investigation into their alleged role in transporting fly ash from the Parli thermal power plant.

(with PTI inputs)