Two of the accused in the murder case of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Massajog village in Beed district have been arrested after being absconding for 25 days. The arrests were made following a joint investigation by the CID team and the Special Investigation Team (SIT). However, one accused is still on the run, and police are intensively searching for the third individual. This development has sparked reactions from political circles.
Suresh Dhas, a key figure in the case, is believed to have the blessings of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Political commentator Sanjay Raut has claimed that Suresh Dhas is acting on Fadnavis' orders. Meanwhile, leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including MP Supriya Sule and MLA Rohit Pawar, have expressed skepticism about the arrests of the accused from Pune. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar has also raised concerns.
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Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been vocal about the Maratha reservation issue, has made a strong demand following the arrests. He called for a narco test on all the accused in the extortion and murder cases, suggesting that there is a larger racket at play and political backing for the criminals involved. He criticized the government's handling of the situation, claiming that the authorities are shielding the accused, some of whom have been hiding for a long time with the help of ministers and MLAs.
Patil further alleged that the government is protecting the accused, tarnishing the reputation of Beed and Pune, and emphasized that the crime is part of a broader conspiracy. He warned that the case would not be allowed to fade away, stating that anyone involved in helping the criminals, including those whose vehicles were used in the crime, should also be held accountable. Patil also claimed that the number of accused in this case could rise to 50 or 60.