Beed Sarpanch Murder Case: Activist Anjali Damania Meets DGP Rashmi Shukla, Demands Mumbai Trial And Accuses Police Collusion

Mumbai, Jan 22: Activist Anjali Damania on Wednesday met Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla and demanded that the trial in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case be conducted in Mumbai. She also demanded the shifting of the murder case accused to Arthur Road Jail in the city from other jails.

Damania alleged collusion between police and one of the accused, Vishnu Chate, who she claimed was shifted to Latur jail "of his choice". During her meeting with Shukla in Mumbai, Damania apprised the top police officer of the prevailing atmosphere of "terror" in Beed.

The activist told reporters that she also submitted details about two companies owned by Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde and his wife in which the minister's aide and extortion case accused Walmik Karad is a shareholder.

Karad is an accused in the extortion case involving a windmill company linked to the sarpanch's murder in December. She claimed Dhananjay Munde may cease to be an MLA over the office of profit.

"The (sarpanch murder) trial should be conducted in Mumbai. The accused, Vishnu Chate, was shifted to Latur jail due to his collusion with police. He and other accused in the case should be shifted to Arthur Road Jail to break the association with police," Damania added.

She further claimed that a government loan of Rs 62 crore was extended to a sugar mill in which Dhananjay Munde holds a stake, and requested DGP Shukla to order scrutiny by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Earlier in the day, Karad was remanded in 14-day judicial custody.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in central Maharashtra's Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9. Preliminary investigation indicated that Deshmukh had tried to resist an extortion attempt targeting an energy company. The Kej police arrested seven persons in the murder case, including Chate, while another accused is on the run.

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