Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Charges Framed in Beed Sarpanch Murder Case
A village leader named Santosh Deshmukh was killed in Beed, Maharashtra, over a year ago.
The police have now charged six people, including a man named Walmik Karad, who is connected to a former minister.
The charges include murder and other serious crimes.
The accused say they are not guilty, and the court will now hear from witnesses.
The former minister, Dhananjay Munde, stepped down from his position because of his ties to Karad.
The court will also decide later if the special law used in this case was applied correctly.
Charges were framed against six accused, including Walmik Karad, in the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, Maharashtra.
The murder occurred on December 9, 2024, and led to the resignation of former minister Dhananjay Munde in March 2025.
The prosecution alleges that Deshmukh was killed for opposing an extortion bid of Rs 2 crore from a windmill company.
The accused, including Karad, have denied their involvement and pleaded not guilty, with the trial set to begin with witness examinations.
The court rejected Karad's bail pleas and the challenge to the invocation of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
- Who
- Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village, was murdered, and six accused, including Walmik Karad, were charged.
- What
- Charges were framed against six accused in the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh.
- When
- The murder occurred on December 9, 2024, and charges were framed on an unspecified date in 2025.
- Where
- The incident took place in Beed district, Maharashtra, India.
- Why
- The murder is alleged to have been committed to prevent Deshmukh from opposing an extortion bid.
- Victim
- Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village
- Date of Murder
- December 9, 2024
- Accused
- Walmik Karad and five others
- Charges
- Murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, MCOCA, and SC/ST Atrocities Act
- Next Court Date
- January 8, 2026
- Alleged Motive
- Preventing extortion of Rs 2 crore from a windmill company
- Resignation
- Former minister Dhananjay Munde resigned in March 2025
- Court's Decision on MCOCA
- Validity to be examined during trial