MUMBAI: The state government Wednesday formed a 10-member SIT to probe the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, a government resolution stated. The SIT will be headed by CID Deputy Inspector General Basavraj Teli. The other nine members are police officials from Beed district, where the crime occurred.
The formation of the SIT comes a day after Valmik Karad, booked in an extortion bid case related to the murder, surrendered before CID and was sent to 14 days police custody. Opposition has alleged that Karad is the prime accused in the case, while he maintains he is the victim of political vendetta. Karad is a close aide of food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde from NCP. His alleged involvement in the crime created a political storm across the state. Opposition has demanded removal of Munde from the state cabinet.
Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej tehsil of Beed district, was abducted and brutally killed on December 9.
