Maharashtra Sarpanch Killing: Key Suspect Walmik Karad Surrenders

Pune (Maharashtra), Dec 31 (NationPress) After releasing a video statement, Walmik Karad -- the main suspect in the shocking murder of Massajog (Beed) Sarpanch Santosh Pandit Deshmukh that occurred on December 9 -- turned himself in to the CID in Pune on Tuesday morning.

On the run for 22 days, Karad declared his innocence regarding an extortion charge against him. He surrendered following a series of efforts by state police aimed at locating him.

In his statement, he asserted that he had been falsely implicated in an extortion case filed on December 12 -- which is now being linked to the Beed Sarpanch murder, although his name is not mentioned in this case. He indicated his willingness to cooperate with investigators and accept any consequences.

Once a domestic aide for Dhananjay P. Munde, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Cabinet Minister in Maharashtra, Karad later became a municipal councillor but abruptly vanished amid rising political tensions.

The police utilized technological intelligence to trace his movements to Pune and Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), initiating actions to confiscate his properties and freeze his bank accounts and assets.

After surrendering, Karad is currently being interrogated by senior police and CID officials, and he is expected to be arrested and presented before a designated court for remand, according to an official.

The daughter of the deceased Sarpanch, Vaibhavi S. Deshmukh, expressed relief over Karad’s surrender but insisted that other absconding suspects must also be arrested and punished “to ensure justice for my father.”

“The police should examine the call detail records (CDR) from his phone and identify anyone who assisted him, arrest them, and impose the strictest penalties under the law,” she demanded, tears in her eyes.

Dr Jitendra Awhad, General Secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), claimed that “everything is premeditated and orchestrated,” noting that Karad is reportedly named as an ‘accused’ in a murder case filed with the Parli (Beed) Police.

Leaders from various political factions have stated that Karad is wanted in multiple significant and minor cases but has managed to evade capture due to political connections.

Manoj Jarange-Patil, leader of Shivba Sanghatana, remarked that now that Karad is in police custody, it is imperative to apprehend the other fugitives and reiterated that “Karad was backed by his political mentors,” cautioning against any efforts to “shield him.”

The murder of the Sarpanch escalated into a national political uproar, drawing condemnation from notable figures including Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice, Rahul Gandhi, Congress’ Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Sharad Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President, among others.

This issue was also raised in the state legislature during the recent Winter Session in Nagpur, with at least three all-party protest marches occurring in Beed, Latur, and Parbhani in solidarity with the Deshmukh family.

In a show of unity, 543 Gram Panchayats in Gondia, 491 in Washim, and 205 in Yavatmal districts are observing a three-day shutdown to denounce the murder of the Massajog (Beed) Sarpanch, with more Gram Panchayats expected to join in the coming days.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)