Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case: 'Ready to Resign if Asked by CM Devendra Fadnavis or Deputy CM Ajit Pawar,' Says Dhananjay Munde

Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde on Wednesday said he is ready to resign if asked by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or deputy CM Ajit Pawar, amid calls for his resignation over the Beed sarpanch murder case. 

Munde, a senior member of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has been under scrutiny since the December kidnapping and murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed, his home district. His close associate, Walmik Karad, has been arrested in connection with an extortion case related to the murder.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Munde said, "If Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or Deputy CM Ajit Pawar believe that I am guilty, they should ask for my resignation. I am ready to step down. It is for them to decide whether I am guilty or not. I have been targeted for the past 51 days."

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The food and civil supplies minister, Dhananjay Munde, faced fresh calls for resignation after social activist Anjali Damania claimed to have submitted "evidence" against him to his party president, Ajit Pawar, who has continued to offer strong support to Munde. However, Munde rejected the notion of resigning on moral grounds.

"My morality is rooted in my honesty towards my people. I speak with complete sincerity. I do not consider myself morally guilty. If I am guilty, my senior leaders will tell me so," stated Munde, the MLA from Parli in Beed district.

Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was abducted, tortured, and murdered on December 9 for allegedly attempting to thwart an extortion bid targeting an energy firm in Beed district. Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the murder, while Walmik Karad, arrested in the extortion case, remains in judicial custody. Karad has been charged under the anti-organized crime law, MCOCA.