CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s key aide Valmik Karad, who is already in SIT’s custody for allegedly trying to extort Rs 2 crore from a renewable energy firm in Beed, has been named accused in Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh abduction-murder case also.
A special MCOCA court in Beed on Wednesday sent Karad in SIT’s custody till Jan 22 after the state prosecution submitted that he has been named an accused in the abduction-murder and his role in the criminal conspiracy and murder needs to be investigated. The prosecution cited SIT’s probe and told special judge Surekha Patil that Karad had a telephonic conversation with co-accused Sudarshan Ghule and Vishnu Chate around the same time when sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted on Dec 9, 2024, from a spot near Dongaon Phata toll naka on Massajog-Manjarsuba Road. Deshmukh was found murdered the same evening.
“We brought to the court’s notice that the accused exchanged calls with each other, and we also submitted the call data records relating to this to the court,” special public prosecutor B D Kolhe told TOI.
Karad’s lawyer argued that there were no legal grounds to involve his client in the abduction-murder case and there was no substantial evidence against him either.
After hearing both sides, the court ordered Karad’s remand in SIT custody for seven days to enable further investigation into the murder case.
