Beed cops initiate process to cancel gun license of Dhananjay Munde's supporter

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Police have started the process to cancel the gun license of a Beed-based supporter of Maharashtra NCP minister Dhananjay Munde after a video surfaced wherein the former was seen firing in the air, reported news agency PTI.

Notably, Munde has been facing backlash from allies and the opposition following the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, last month.

Walmik Karad, an associate of Munde, has been arrested in an extortion case linked to the sarpanch's murder.

Kailas Phad, a resident of Parli in Beed, was arrested last month and booked under the Arms Act after his old video of brandishing a gun and opening fire in the air went viral on various social media platforms, an official said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

During the investigation, it came to light that the video was shot in 2023 during the Diwali festival in Parli, he said, reported PTI.

Recently, an activist posted online a photograph showing Phad along with Munde.

The official said the Beed police have sent proposals to the district collector to cancel the weapon licenses of Phad and two other persons, reported PTI.

The collector's nod is awaited, the official said.

A letter has also been sent to Phad, informing that the police have initiated the process of cancelling his weapon license, he said, reported PTI.

The worsening law and order situation in the central Maharashtra district came to the fore after the brutal murder of Deshmukh on December 9 and the related case of extortion.

Police were scrutinising all weapon licenses issued in Beed district and verifying in every case if the person has a legitimate need for a firearm, another official said, reported PTI.

After the review, the proposals to cancel the licenses were sent to the collector, he said.

Beed sarpanch murder: Leaders meet Maharashtra guv for removal of Dhananjay Munde from cabinet

Political leaders cutting across the party lines on Monday called on Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, urging him to remove Dhananjay Munde from the state cabinet to ensure a free and fair probe into the killing of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

Amid the controversy and demand for his ouster from the cabinet, Munde met Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on Monday. However, details of the meeting were not available.

The delegation, comprising Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar and BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, submitted a memorandum to the governor, requesting him to take decisive action on the issue that would help uphold the rule of law and regain public confidence in the dispensation of justice.

(With inputs from PTI)