Sarpanch murder: One accused still at large, this is unacceptable, says Sule

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Feb 18 (PTI) NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Tuesday criticised the Maharashtra administration over failure to arrest one of the absconding accused in Beed sarpanch murder case even after two months of the incident.

Talking to reporters at Massajog village in Beed district after meeting the family of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, Sule said she had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and appealed for justice in the case.

The NCP (SP) working president said she will now also meet state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek justice for Deshmukh’s family.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9, 2024, for allegedly trying to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy firm in Beed district.

The police have so far arrested seven persons in connection with the murder, while accused Krushna Andhale is still at large.

Walmik Karad, a close aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in a related extortion case, and is in judicial custody.

The police administration has still not found Andhale, which is unacceptable, Sule said.

She also slammed Walmik Karad over a video he shared before surrendering to police in the extortion case.

“Walmik Karad made a video before his surrender. How people have the courage to make such a video before surrendering? Where did Krushna Andhale go? If they can track our phones every day, can’t they find Krushna Andhale? This is not acceptable,” she said.

“When Deshmukh’s family met Chief Minister Fadnavis, I expected that they will get justice in eight days. I am going to meet the chief minister and seek justice for Deshmukh’s family, she said.”

The parliamentarian appealed to Massajog residents not to resort to a hunger strike for justice over the sarpanch’s murder.

“The villagers should not sit on a hunger strike, we will fight together for justice. This incident was known across the country because of NCP (SP) MP Bajrang Sonawane, who spoke in Parliament for justice in the Parbhani (violence case) and Massajog incident,” she said.

Sule said she along with Sonawane had met Union minister Amit Shah in connection with the Santosh Deshmukh case and that Shah assured to look into it.

“We have demanded that no one should be spared in this case. I give a word to the family of Santosh Deshmukh that I will not let any compromise to take place in this case, and will also look into the judicial process,” she said.

This arrogance (in Beed) is all because of power and money which should be broken down. Every woman in Beed should be able to move freely. This is not a fight for Deshmukh family, but now it is for all of us,” Sule said.

On allegations of proper information not being shared with the sarpanch’s family on the probe into the case, Sule said there is nothing to hide, and people should know what is happening.

“I will see to it that the (sarpanch’s) family get information about the case every alternate day,” she said, asking why the government was not being transparent over the case.

NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad demanded that details of calls between the accused and police before and after the murder incident come out in public domain.

“The police kept every single detail of Sheena Bora murder case before the people. Then why the police administration did not hold a single press conference in this case. This is because they want to hide the facts,” he claimed.