Sarpanch murder: Previous Beed SP should face probe, demands Damania

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jan 2 (PTI) Activist Anjali Damania on Thursday demanded that the previous Superintendent of Police of Beed who was transferred last month should face probe in connection with the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, and alleged pilferage of fly ash generated at a local power plant.

Damania, who visited the MAHAGENCO's thermal power project at Parli in Beed district, also claimed that it was inconceivable that police did not know the whereabouts of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde's aide Walmik Karad, who surrendered earlier this week in a related case of extortion.

Avinash Bargal, who was Beed SP when Massajog village sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted and tortured to death in the district on December 9, was transferred after the murder created statewide outrage. Referring to Karad, Damnia said, "It is not possible that a person is in Maharashtra and the police department cannot find him." Karad had announced on social media two days prior to his surrender that he was going to turn himself in, but the police could not track him down, she added.

Damnia also claimed that the police bodyguards who accompanied Karad, a local politician, were with him even after a case of extortion was registered against him.

"I don't think there will be proper justice in this case. Otherwise (Chief Minister Devendra) Fadnavis would have set the machinery in motion and the accused would have been arrested in two-three days. Though an offence was registered, the bodyguards were with Walmik Karad till December 15. How did they stay with Karad?" she asked.

Hence, the previous SP (Bargal) should face inquiry and be made an accused, Damania added.

As to her visit to the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) plant, the activist said she wanted to know what happens to the fly ash generated there.

While most of fly ash is bought by cement companies, she said the remaining ash is taken away by local mafia by threatening the company officials.

"The previous SP who was transferred should also face vigilance inquiry. Because MAHAGENCO wrote him multiple letters, but he did not send a single policeman to the place," Damania alleged.

Bargal's comment was not available immediately.

Deshmukh was allegedly murdered for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company. Karad surrendered before the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Pune on Tuesday in the same extortion case, while the Opposition has sought his arrest in the murder case too. PTI AW KRK