Santosh Deshmukh murder case: framing of charges deferred to Dec 23

Beed (Maharashtra), Dec 19 (PTI) A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Beed on Friday postponed the framing of charges in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case to December 23.

A trial starts once charges are framed.

The adjournment decision came as the defense told the court that the prosecution had not provided them the evidence it was relying on, including purported video footage of the murder and electronic records.

The accused also challenged the appointment of lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor. Nikam, currently a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, was appointed on the recommendation of a BJP MLA, suggesting political bias, they claimed.

Nikam argued that the plea lacked merit and did not fall within the jurisdiction of the trial court. The court asked him to submit his formal reply, and adjourned the hearing to December 23.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was tortured to death in December 2024 after he opposed an attempt to extort money from a wind power firm. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde had to resign from Maharashtra cabinet after his close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in the extortion case. PTI COR KRK