Opposition Criticizes Police for Securing Five Beds at Beed Station Amid Karad's Arrest
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Mumbai, Jan 2 (NationPress) The NCP-SP and Congress expressed their concerns on Thursday regarding the Beed police's decision to acquire five new beds, questioning if they were intended for the comfort of Walmik Karad, a close associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde from Beed, who is wanted in an extortion case related to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Karad, who surrendered to the CID in Pune on Tuesday, has an extortion case filed against him and has been placed in police custody for 14 days by the Kej court in Beed district.
The police later clarified that these beds were intended for the staff's use.
NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar commented on X, stating, “There are reports of five new beds being ordered at the police station. Although the administration has clarified that new cots have been ordered for the staff, many questions arise such as why these beds were suddenly ordered today? If new beds are indeed for the staff, similar urgency should be shown across all police stations in the state.”
He further remarked, “Moreover, why not consider adding mattresses, pillows, fans, and air conditioning?”
Meanwhile, senior Congress legislator Vijay Wadettiwar questioned the MahaYuti government, inquiring whether the five cots ordered for Beed police station were part of the ‘Ladli Aaropi Yojana’ (beloved accused scheme) for Walmik Karad.
“There are not as many coincidences in films as there are in the police administration’s move to procure five beds right when Walmik Karad is sentenced to 14 days in police custody,” he added.
“This indicates the beginning of favoritism towards the accused. Soon, he will receive amenities like TVs, air conditioning, and gourmet meals,” Wadettiwar remarked.
“Does this government genuinely intend to take appropriate action against Walmik Karad? If so, the investigation should be conducted outside Beed district. Will it investigate the individual who has kept the police under his influence, or will it be mere service? The government needs to stop pretending to act against Karad, and if it chooses to take action, it must be serious,” Wadettiwar stated.
“Whether concerning the murder of Santosh Deshmukh or a case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), no case has yet been registered against Karad, raising significant questions about this investigation,” he emphasized.
The state government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday, led by IPS officer Basavaraj Teli, to probe the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, which occurred last December.
Officer Teli heads the Economic Offences Wing of the CID, and all SIT members are from Beed district. Current investigating officer DYSP Anil Gujar will also be part of this probe team.
Other SIT members include Vijay Singh Shivlal Jonwal (assistant police inspector, Local Crime Branch, Beed), Mahesh Vighne (sub inspector, Local Crime Branch, Beed), Anand Shankar Shinde (sub inspector Kej), Tulshiram Jagtap (assistant sub inspector), Manoj Rajendra Wagh (police constable), Chandrakant S Kalkute (police naik), Balasaheb Devidas Akhabare (police naik), and Santosh Bhagwanrao Gitte (police constable).
The murder case of Santosh Deshmukh is currently under CID investigation, with over 150 individuals having been questioned so far.
The inquiry is focused on links to an extortion of Rs 2 crore, with the CID team diligently checking all call records and CDRs.
