Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, March 2: Walmik Karad, a close aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, allegedly instructed other accused persons involved in the murder of village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh to eliminate anyone obstructing their attempt to extort money from a prominent wind energy company in Beed district, according to a recently filed chargesheet.
The State Crime Investigation Department (CID) submitted a comprehensive chargesheet exceeding 1,200 pages on February 27, 2025, at a court in Beed, related to the murder of Deshmukh and two connected criminal cases. The chargesheet names Karad as the prime accused and highlights a meticulously orchestrated criminal conspiracy aimed at extorting ₹2 crore from Avaada Energy, a firm investing around ₹300 crore in a local power generation project.
Threats and Murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh
Deshmukh, who was serving as the sarpanch of Massajog village, was repeatedly threatened prior to being abducted, brutally tortured, and murdered on December 9, 2024. The incident was a consequence of his courageous opposition to the extortion racket targeting Avaada Energy. According to the chargesheet, Karad explicitly instructed co-accused Sudarshan Ghule on December 7, 2024, stating, “If such hurdles come in our way, no company will pay extortion money. Whosoever comes in our way should be eliminated.”Karad was arrested on December 31, 2024, in connection with the extortion and murder case.
Organised Crime and Terror Tactics
The chargesheet reveals that Karad, along with co-accused Vishnu Chate, Sudarshan Ghule, Pratik Ghule, Sudhir Sangle, Krushna Andhale, Jayram Chate, and Mahesh Kedar, aimed to instill fear in the local community to facilitate their extortion demands. Between December 8-9, 2024, the group allegedly decided to intensify their terror campaign by targeting those opposing their plans, including the murder of Deshmukh.Earlier, on November 29, 2024, Karad initially contacted Avaada Energy officials demanding ₹2 crore using a mobile phone belonging to Vishnu Chate. On the same day, Ghule personally visited the project site in Massajog village to pressure company representatives into fulfilling Karad’s extortion demands.
Sarpanch's Plea Ignored, Threatened Publicly
On December 6, 2024, when Ghule, accompanied by Pratik Ghule and Sudhir Sangle, confronted Avaada Energy officials and demanded cessation of ongoing project work, Deshmukh intervened, requesting them to allow employment opportunities to continue uninterrupted. Ignoring his plea, Ghule publicly threatened the sarpanch, saying, “We will see you; we will not spare you,” according to the chargesheet.Crucial Evidence Destroyed
After Deshmukh's murder, accused Vishnu Chate destroyed his mobile phone, a crucial piece of evidence directly linking him to the conspiracy, the chargesheet added.The accused are facing charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), highlighting the severity of the criminal activities and the organized manner in which they were executed.
Eleven separate criminal cases have been registered against the group, with chargesheets already filed in eight cases.
Police questioned over 180 witnesses to build a solid case against Karad and his associates, underscoring the extensive investigation by the CID into the high-profile case.
