Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case: Maharashtra Govt SIT To Probe Beed Sarpanch’s Killing

Beed, Maharashtra (January 1, 2025): The Maharashtra government has formed a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday to investigate the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. 

Maharashtra Govt forms Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe murder of Beed village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh: Official. pic.twitter.com/LGYrtJcsc7

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 1, 2025

The SIT will be led by Basavraj Teli, the Deputy Inspector General of the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Other members of the team include Anil Gujar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CID; Vijaysingh Jonwal, Assistant Police Inspector of the local crime branch in Beed; Mahesh Vighne, PSI of the local crime branch, Beed; Anand Shinde, PSI of Kej Police Station; ASI Tulshiram Jagtap; and police constables Manoj Wagh, Chandrakant Kalkute, Balasaheb Ahankare, and Santosh Gitte.

Deshmukh was abducted and brutally killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion attempt targeting a windmill company in Beed district. 

In connection with the murder and extortion case, one of the accused, Walmik Karad, surrendered before the CID. Following his surrender, several new revelations have emerged in the case. Karad has been remanded to 15 days of police custody.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state would not tolerate "gunda raj" (rule of criminals). He assured Deshmukh's family that justice would prevail, and all those involved in the murder would face prosecution.

Fadnavis spoke with Deshmukh's brother and assured him that the police would continue their efforts until those responsible were held accountable. "We will not tolerate any attempts to take the law into one's own hands or extort residents," the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, Walmik Karad, a close aide to Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde and a wanted suspect in the extortion case related to Deshmukh's murder, surrendered to the police in Pune. Four other suspects had been arrested previously.

Fadnavis stated that strict action would be taken against all individuals involved in the case. "We will find all the culprits," he said.