Beed sarpanch murder: SIT questions three persons, including man close to absconding accused

Representation pic

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department probing the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has questioned three persons, sources told news agency PTI.

Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the region.

Sources said on Friday that one of the three men questioned is a doctor and a close to absconding accused Sudarshan Ghule, reported PTI.

Police believe this man helped Ghule flee.

Several police teams have been deployed to arrest those on the run, they said.

Meanwhile, Vishnu Chate, one of the persons arrested in the extortion case linked to Deshmukh's murder, told CID officials he had called the project manager of the energy company from his mobile phone, reported PTI.

He also told police about a conversation between key accused Walmik Karad and the project manager, sources told PTI.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested Karad in Pune after he surrendered on Tuesday in connection with a Rs 2 crore extortion case linked to Deshmukh's murder. Karad was remanded in a 14-day police custody.

Those who killed sarpanch must be tried in fast-track court, get 'strictest' punishment: Sunil Tatkare

Nationalist Congress Party's state president Sunil Tatkare on Friday said whosoever is guilty in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case should face trial in a fast-track court and get the strictest punishment.

He, however, parried a question on whether NCP minister Dhananjay Munde will be asked to resign as his close aide Walmik Karad is at the centre of a controversy and is an accused in an extortion case linked to the sarpanch's murder.

The opposition has been demanding that Karad be booked for Deshmukh's murder. He has been booked in an extortion case.

"The incident (murder of Deshmukh) is a blot on humanity. NCP's stand is that the matter should be thoroughly probed and anyone even remotely connected to the incident should be brought before the public," Tatkare said.

When asked whether Munde will be asked to resign, Tatkare said, "I don't want to express any political opinion about this. Will Dhanajay Munde be asked to resign?"

"I have been saying this that the government has announced an SIT, a CID and a judicial probe which is happening at a fast pace. The probe will determine who the accused are. Whosoever is guilty should get strictest punishment through a fast track court," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)