OBC activist Laxman Hake on Wednesday (January 8, 2024) lambasted Maratha quota campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil and BJP MLA Suresh Dhas for allegedly downplaying the seriousness of the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district of Maharashtra. Deshmukh was allegedly abducted and tortured to death on December 9, 2024, for opposing extortion attempts against an energy firm linked to a windmill project. Seven suspects have been arrested so far.

The incident has acquired a caste-related undertone as Deshmukh hailed from the Maratha community, while most of the accused belong to the Vanjari community, a dominant OBC group in Beed.

The case has intensified political tensions with leaders from both ruling and Opposition parties, including Mr. Dhas, calling for the resignation of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and State Minister Dhananjay Munde, a Vanjari leader. The leaders allege that Mr. Munde’s aide, Valmik Karad, is involved in the case.

Speaking at a condolence meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously Aurangabad) district, Mr. Hake accused Mr. Jarange and Mr. Dhas of politicising the incident. “Manoj Jarange-Patil and Suresh Dhas have demeaned the seriousness of Santosh Deshmukh’s murder. Where was Mr. Dhas when police personnel were assaulted in Antarwali Sarati during Jarange-Patil’s quota agitation?” he said.

Mr. Hake went on to claim that Mr. Dhas’s stance had shifted after the Maharashtra Assembly elections. “Mr. Dhas worked against Mr. Munde’s success, but is now striving to block his appointment as Beed’s Guardian Minister,” he alleged.

Condemning the growing caste-based rhetoric around the case, Mr. Hake stated, “We have never indulged in politics over such incidents or extended support based solely on caste. Yet now, venom is being spread against a particular community.”

He added that while Mr. Karad had been seen with numerous NCP leaders, the focus was unjustly centred on targeting Mr. Munde. Mr. Hake called for justice for the victim, but warned that the situation was instilling fear among OBC community members.

Turning his attention to Mr. Jarange-Patil, Mr. Hake dismissed him as an “accidental leader” with little understanding of the reservation issue. “In the past, Muslims and Dalits were targeted. Now, the OBC community is under attack,” he alleged.

The OBC activist also criticised NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar for not visiting the family of Somnath Suryavanshi, who died in judicial custody in Parbhani district. Suryavanshi had been arrested following unrest over the desecration of a glass-encased replica of the Constitution last month.

Pune:

Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s close aide Walmik Karad, wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, surrendered before the police in Pune on Tuesday.

While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, facing heat over the law-and-order situation, said no “goonda-raj” will be tolerated in the state, the Opposition questioned the police’s failure to nab Walmik Karad for about three weeks.

Before turning himself in, Mr Karad posted a video on social media, claiming that he was being linked to the murder for reasons of political vendetta.

The Fadnavis-led coalition government, sworn in on December 5, finds itself in a tricky situation because of Mr Karad’s links with Dhananjay Munde, and also because of the caste angle. While the victim was a Maratha, the accused are from the OBC Vanjari community.

Inspector General of Police Sarang Awad said after Mr Karad surrendered, a preliminary inquiry was conducted and he was handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) team at Beed which is investigating the murder and extortion cases.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej tehsil of Beed district, was abducted and brutally killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company.

Four persons were earlier arrested in the murder case, while Mr Karad was named as a wanted accused in the extortion case.

On Tuesday morning, Mr Karad, with his associates, arrived outside the CID office in Pune in a car.

Before that, he released a video where he said, “I am surrendering before CID officials in Pune in a fake case registered against me. Those who are involved in Santosh Deshmukh’s case should be punished and hanged to death. My name is being taken in the case due to political vendetta.” The Opposition had alleged during the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature that Mr Karad was the “mastermind” of the murder.

On Saturday, thousands of people participated in a huge protest march in Beed city to demand Mr Karad’s arrest. MLAs of the ruling Mahayuti coalition including those of the BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also attended the protest.

Opposition parties have accused NCP minister Dhananjay Munde — who belongs to Beed — of having close links with Mr Karad, and demanded his resignation to enable an impartial probe.

Vaibhavi Deshmukh, Santosh Deshmukh’s daughter, questioned the delay in Mr Karad’s arrest. She also demanded that police check call detail records (CDR) of all the accused and find out who they were in touch with.

Chief minister Fadnavis, who holds the Home department, said he spoke with Deshmukh’s brother over phone, and assured him that justice will be done.

“Until the guilty are hanged to death, the police will continue to do their duty. All individuals involved in the Beed case will face prosecution. We will not tolerate ‘goonda raj’ (rule of criminals)….Nobody will be spared,” he told reporters.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe questioned the police’s failure to track down Mr Karad, and said Fadnavis had no moral grounds to remain chief minister.

A sitting judge should oversee the investigation in the Deshmukh murder case, the Congress leader demanded.

NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde be sacked, asking how a suspect linked with him could be questioned while Munde remains in the cabinet. NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said Mr Karad posting a viral video and the police still remaining clueless about his whereabouts was shocking.

Suresh Dhas, BJP MLA from Beed district, congratulated CM Fadnavis over Mr Karad’s surrender, but targeted Mr Munde. Walmik Karad and Dhananjay Munde were “two sides of the same coin,” he claimed, adding that Mr Munde’s resignation has been sought by his own party leaders.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange indicated that the Maratha community, to which Deshmukh belonged, would launch an agitation if the government failed to take action against the supporters of the accused, whether they be ministers, MLAs or MPs.

Deshmukh’s brother Dhananjay, who met Jarange at Antarwali Sarati village, told reporters that the CID should examine the mobile call detail records (CDR) of the accused to uncover their links.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)