The Chief Minister of Maharashtra has instructed a Minister to resign, as reported by ABP News. Dhananjay Munde is anticipated to submit his resignation on Tuesday.
Calls for the resignation of the NCP leader emerged following the murder case in Massajog village, although he was not directly implicated. So far, seven individuals, including Walmik Karad, a close associate of Munde, have been apprehended, while one person has been declared a wanted suspect.
Ramdas Athawale, leader of the Republican Party of India and an ally of the NDA, remarked that the primary suspect in the Massajog case, Valmik Karad, is regarded as a close ally of Munde, and the state CID has already reported Karad’s involvement in the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh.
“I believe Dhananjay Munde and Valmik Karad shared a close bond. There is no evidence linking Munde to the crime, yet there are calls for his resignation. Ajitdada needs to consider this. The suspect in the murder case was closely connected to Munde, and thus, he should step down on ethical grounds,” Athawale stated, according to TOI.
Massajog Murder: The Torturous Fate of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh
Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh endured extreme torture and was killed in December 2024, with the assailants capturing 15 videos, taking eight photos, and even making two video calls, as detailed by police in a chargesheet outlining the horrific ordeal faced by the victim.
The videos and photographs are included in the chargesheet submitted by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to a court in Beed district in central Maharashtra last week.
Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and murdered in December for trying to thwart an extortion attempt against an energy company. His body, covered in injuries and showing signs of severe brutality, was discovered discarded by the roadside.
(With contributions from agencies ABP and TOI)