Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde Resigns Amidst Allegations in Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case
Who is Dhananjay Munde? Dhananjay Munde, a minister in the Maharashtra government, resigned from his post on Tuesday. He had been under mounting pressure to resign following the revelation of the involvement of his close associate in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Beed district. This decision came after a late-night meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Why was Dhananjay Munde forced to resign?
Recently, significant information emerged regarding the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Beed district. Investigations revealed the involvement of Balmiki Karad, a close associate of Dhananjay Munde, in the murder. After Karad's name surfaced as the main conspirator in the police chargesheet, the opposition intensified its attack on Dhananjay Munde. Amidst this escalating political pressure, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met with Dhananjay Munde, sought an explanation, and ultimately accepted his resignation.
Fadnavis's Statement: Resignation Sent to the Governor
Following Dhananjay Munde's resignation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated, "Dhananjay Munde has submitted his resignation. I have accepted it and sent it to the Governor. The law will take its course, and the investigation will be conducted impartially."
What is the Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case?
Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Masajog village in Beed district, was murdered on December 9th of the previous year. Allegations suggest that Balmiki Karad, a close associate of Dhananjay Munde, and his accomplices committed the murder.
Extortion Behind the Murder
According to the investigating police, a demand of ₹2 crore was made to a land acquisition officer of 'Awada,' a powerful entity in the district. When Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh attempted to prevent this forced extortion, Karad and his associates abducted, tortured, and subsequently murdered him.
CID Files Chargesheet
The Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a chargesheet exceeding 1200 pages on February 27th. Three separate incidents were recorded at the Kej Police Station in Beed:
1. Murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh
2. Attempted extortion from Awada
3. Assault on farm security guards
Seven individuals have been arrested so far, with one accused still at large. Police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against these criminals.
Dhananjay Munde: Political Life and Controversies
Dhananjay Munde served as the Maharashtra Minister for Food and Civil Supplies. He is a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from the Parli Assembly constituency, belonging to the Ajit Pawar faction.
Dhananjay Munde is the nephew of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde. His father, Pandit Anna Munde, was also active in politics.
Association with Sharad Pawar
Dhananjay Munde joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2012 after leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He initially worked under Sharad Pawar's leadership but joined the Ajit Pawar faction after the NCP split in 2013.
Lost in 2014, Won in 2019
Dhananjay Munde contested against his sister, Pankaja Munde, in the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections but lost. He contested again against Pankaja in 2019 and won.
