NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Tuesday condemned the Maharashtra administration for its failure to arrest one of the absconding accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case, despite more than two months having passed since the incident.
Speaking to reporters at Massajog village in Beed district, following a meeting with the family of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, Supriya Sule stated that she had already met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged him to ensure justice in the case.
The NCP (SP) working president further mentioned that she would now seek a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to push for justice for Deshmukh’s family.
"Walmik Karad made a video before his surrender. How people have the courage to make such a video before surrendering? Where did Krushna Andhale go? If they can track our phones every day, can't they find Krushna Andhale? This is not acceptable," she said.
"When Deshmukh's family met Chief Minister Fadnavis, I expected that they will get justice in eight days. I am going to meet the chief minister and seek justice for Deshmukh's family, she said."
Sule urged the villagers not to resort to a hunger strike, assuring them, "We will fight together for justice." She highlighted that the incident had gained national attention, thanks to NCP (SP) MP Bajrang Sonawane, who raised the issues of the Parbhani violence and Massajog incident in Parliament, advocating for justice.
Sule stated that she, along with Sonawane, had met Union Minister Amit Shah regarding the Santosh Deshmukh case, and Shah assured them that the matter would be looked into. "We have demanded that no one involved in this case should be spared. I assure the family of Santosh Deshmukh that I will not allow any compromise and will also closely monitor the judicial process," she added.
Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured, and murdered on December 9, 2024, for allegedly attempting to stop an extortion bid against an energy firm in Beed. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the murder, while accused Krushna Andhale remains at large. Walmik Karad, a close aide to Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in a related extortion case and is in judicial custody.