‘Why should I resign?’ says Dhananjay Munde, reacting to sarpanch killing

MUMBAI: Dhananjay Munde, the Maharashtra minister accused of being the political patron of Beed strongman Walmik Karad, has broken his silence. “I have nothing to do with the Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Why should I resign from the cabinet?” Munde said on Thursday, while implying that the demand for his resignation was politically motivated.

The murder of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district on December 9, 2024, has become a political hot potato. Deshmukh was killed, his eyes gouged out and left by the highway after he attempted to thwart an extortion attempt involving a local windmill company. Soon after his murder, the clamour for Munde’s resignation from the state cabinet has gathered momentum from leaders of political parties across the spectrum. Munde, food and civil supplies minister, is the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Parli in Beed, and is accused of protecting Karad, who has allegedly unleashed a reign of terror in the district.

In a related development, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told the media on Thursday that he has urged senior counsel Ujjwal Nikam to take up the Santosh Deshmukh murder case as special public prosecutor. This follows an appeal by BJP MLA Suresh Dhas to appoint Nikam as special prosecutor in the case. “I have also requested CM Fadnavis to remove the four local policemen from the SIT as there are reservations about their integrity in Beed,” said Dhas.

Leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve (Shiv Sena-UBT), demanded to know why public prosecutor S S Deshpande had withdrawn from the Walmik Karad case. Karad, accused of extortion linked to the windmill company connected to Deshmukh’s murder, surrendered in Pune on Tuesday. “This (Deshpande’s withdrawal) is serious and there should be an investigation. Also, given the circumstances in Beed, Karad’s trial should be shifted out of the district,” said Danve, a suggestion supported by Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.

Despite the growing demands for his resignation, Dhananjay Munde claimed he has nothing to do with Santosh Deshmukh’s murder. “In fact, I was the first to demand that the case be tried in a fast track court and the killer be given capital punishment. Why should I resign from the cabinet? The question to answer is why some leaders from Beed want my resignation,” said Munde.

He added that those who want him to step down “should understand that no political leader can influence an investigation by the CID, SIT and a judicial probe”. Munde added, “As far as the post of guardian minister of Beed is concerned, my party leader, deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other senior leaders will decide on that.”

Congress leader and former opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar made a strong accusation, without naming names. He said, “To save the main boss (Munde), his second-in-command (Karad) may be eliminated in an encounter... If the second-in-command is being used to reach the main boss, evidence may be destroyed for that purpose. This information was given to me by a reliable senior officer. Anything can happen.”

NCP (SP) MP Bajrang Sonawane also raised a serious concern. He alleged that the car used by Karad to surrender at the CID office in Pune was present in a convoy of NCP chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, when he was in Beed to meet Deshmukh’s family on December 21. “Karad used a car that was part of Ajit Pawar’s convoy when he had come to Beed,” Sonawane told the media on Thursday.