Fadnavis asks CID to confiscate properties of accused in Beed sarpanch murder case

Mumbai, Dec 28 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the police to confiscate the properties of the accused in the murder case of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

A Home department official also said that Fadnavis has asked the authorities to cancel the arms licenses of people whose pictures or videos showing them firing in the air or flaunting guns in public have circulated on social media.

Fadnavis, who took over as CM on December 5 following the BJP-led coalition's election victory and who holds the Home department, is facing heat from the Opposition over the brutal murder.

A huge protest rally, attended by MLAs and local leaders of Opposition as well as the ruling parties in Beed, on Saturday demanded that NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, who hails from the district, be sacked. The role of Walmik Karad, an associate of Munde, has come under the scanner after the murder.

According to police, Deshmukh was apparently killed after he opposed an extortion bid targeting an energy firm which is installing windmills in Beed district.

Local NCP leader Vishnu Chate had allegedly demanded Rs 2 crore from the company. Deshmukh tried to intervene, leading to his abduction, torture and death on December 9. Chate is among the four arrested accused. PTI MR KRK