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Santosh Deshmukh Case

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The Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case involves the brutal abduction, torture, and murder of Santosh Deshmukh, a sarpanch Massajog village in Beed district, Maharashtra, India, on 9 December 2024. The brutal case and its ties to an extortion attempt on a Mumbai based wind power company Avaada, and involvement of politically connected people have stirred major controversy in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a 1,400-page chargesheet against eight suspects, including Valmik Karad, a close aide of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde, who had resigned as a minister of state due to public pressure.

Background

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Santosh Deshmukh, aged 45, was the sarpanch of Massajog village in Kaij taluka, Beed district, and a Maratha community member. He opposed alleged extortion attempts targeting Avaada, a Mumbai-based green energy company with a windmill project in Massajog village, has seen economic growth from wind energy projects, but this has also led to crimes like extortion and kidnapping.[1][2]

On December 6, 2024, a clash broke out at Avaada's project site when suspects, including Sudarshan Ghule, allegedly attacked a security guard and project manager. Deshmukh stepped in, leading to a confrontation with villagers that was filmed and shared online.[3] This incident likely heightened tensions, leading to Deshmukh’s murder three days later.

Murder

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On December 9, 2024, Santosh Deshmukh was abducted in broad daylight near the Dongaon toll plaza by six men in a black Scorpio SUV. He was reportedly tortured for nearly three hours before being killed, and his body was later found by the roadside near Daithna Shivar. According to the autopsy report, Deshmukh sustained 56 injuries caused by both blunt and sharp objects, including a 41-inch gas cylinder pipe, iron rods, wooden sticks, and knuckle dusters. The cause of death was determined to be haemorrhage and shock resulting from multiple injuries.[4]

The CID recovered 15 videos and eight photographs taken by the suspects during the torture, depicting Santosh Deshmukh being beaten, stripped, and humiliated. In one video, a suspect is allegedly seen urinating on Deshmukh while he was severely bleeding. The recordings, ranging from 5 seconds to 2 minutes in length, were captured between 3:46 PM and 5:53 PM on December 9, and are believed to have been intended as a warning to others who might resist extortion.[5]

Investigation

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The Maharashtra government handed the case to the CID, which set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Deputy Inspector General Basavaraj Teli. Three First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed at Kaij police station: one for the murder, one for a ₹2 crore extortion attempt against Avaada, and one under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).[6] On February 27, 2025, the CID filed a 1,400-page chargesheet naming eight suspects: Walmik Karad, Sudarshan Ghule, Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, Siddhartha Sonawane, Sudhir Sangale, and Prateek Ghule.[6]

Walmik Karad, a local strongman and associate of NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, was named the main planner. Karad, with 15 prior criminal cases, allegedly ordered the murder after Deshmukh resisted extortion. Sudarshan Ghule, with 10 prior cases, was a key figure in the attack.[1] Karad surrendered on December 31, 2024, but another suspect, Krushna Andhale, was still on the run as of February 2025.[7]

The investigation showed the suspects had a history of violent crimes, including attempted murder and extortion. The chargesheet linked the murder to the extortion plot, backed by call records and recovered weapons.[6] Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also ordered a judicial probe into the case.[3]

Political controversy

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The case caused a political uproar in Maharashtra, with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) accusing the Maha Yuti government of failing to maintain law and order. Walmik Karad’s ties to Dhananjay Munde, a minister in the Fadnavis cabinet, led to calls for Munde's resignation. The opposition claimed Munde's influence shielded Karad, which Munde denied.[2] Videos and photos of Deshmukh's torture, which spread online in March 2025, fueled public anger, leading Munde to resign as Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection on March 4, 2025.[4]

The case also stirred caste tensions in Beed, as Deshmukh was a Maratha and Karad and several suspects were from the Vanjari community, an Other Backward Class (OBC) group. This worsened Maratha-OBC conflicts, tied to ongoing Maratha reservation protests in the region.[3] Social activist Anjali Damania called for the trial to be moved to Mumbai and the suspects to be held in Arthur Road Jail, citing alleged police collusion in Beed.[8]

Public response

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The murder sparked protests in Beed, with villagers and Deshmukh's family demanding justice. On February 25, 2025, Massajog residents held a hunger strike, unhappy with the investigation. They demanded the arrest of Krushna Andhale, a probe into police officers Prashant Mahajan and Rajesh Patil, and the appointment of senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor. The government named Nikam to the role on February 26, 2025.[7] Deshmukh's brother, Dhananjay Deshmukh, opposed bail for the suspects, fearing evidence tampering.[9]

Political leaders across parties condemned the murder. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticized the government’s delay in acting against Munde, while NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule called for a thorough probe.[7] Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and Congress leaders also backed the call for justice.[3]

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The trial is underway in a special MCOCA court in Beed, with Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor. The chargesheet includes evidence from weapons, mobile phone videos, and witness statements. The suspects face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder, kidnapping, and extortion, plus MCOCA provisions for organized crime.[6] As of June 2025, the trial continues, with seven of the eight suspects in custody.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Beed Sarpanch's gruesome murder forces Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde to resign; body had 56 injuries". The Indian Express. March 4, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Dhananjay Munde, Santosh Deshmukh, Walmik Karad: Behind Maharashtra Minister's Ouster, A Sarpanch's Torture And Murder". NDTV. March 4, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "What led to the storm over Beed sarpanch's murder?". Hindustan Times. December 21, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Behind Munde's resignation, a sarpanch's murder and a village that relentlessly pushed for justice". The Indian Express. March 4, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ^ "Santosh Deshmukh murder case: 15 videos, 8 photos, chargesheet details sarpanch's torture". The Indian Express. March 5, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Sarpanch murder linked to extortion, plotted by Munde aide: Charge sheet". Hindustan Times. February 28, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Santosh Deshmukh murder case: Villagers stage hunger strike, demand probe against investigating officers". The Hindu. February 26, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  8. ^ "Conduct Santosh Deshmukh murder trial in Mumbai: Anjali Damania". Hindustan Times. January 22, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  9. ^ "Bail should not be granted to accused in Santosh Deshmukh murder case, says brother". The Hindu. January 22, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.