Walmik Karad, NCP man in eye of storm since the murder of Beed sarpanch, surrenders

Karad had been absconding since December 9. In a video clip he released before surrendering, he said, “I am Walmik Karad. A false complaint of extortion has been filed at Kaiz police station against me. Even as I am entitled for anticipatory bail, I am surrendering before the police at the CID office in Pune. Whoever is the killer of (sarpanch) Santosh Bhaiya Deshmukh should be arrested and given the death penalty. My name is being embroiled into the cases due to political vendetta. During the police probe, if I am found guilty, I am willing to face the consequences according to law.”

After Karad surrendered at the CID headquarters on Pashan Road in Pune around Tuesday noon, he was detained for questioning. “Later in the afternoon, a team took him to the Beed unit of the CID, which is investigating the extortion case registered against him. He was placed under arrest after the team reached Beed,” a senior CID officer in Pune said.

The officer added, “The Beed unit of the CID is investigating three related cases registered at the Kej police station in Beed district. These cases were registered on December 6, 9 and 11 respectively. Of these, Karad has been named in the case registered on December 11, which pertains to extortion demand of Rs 2 crore from the staffers of a wind energy firm. Other two offences are that of kidnapping and murder of Massajog sarpanch Desmukh registered on December 9 and case of assault on staffers of wind energy firm. Karad will be questioned for all three related offences.”

Santosh Deshmukh (45), a sarpanch of Massajog in Kaiz tehsil, was murdered on December 9 and his family had alleged Karad’s involvement in the murder. Days before the murder, Karad was named in an FIR for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 2 crore from a windmill company in Beed. Deshmukh’s family says he was killed because he had opposed extortion attempts by local strongmen with links to the NCP.

The murder had rocked the state Assembly, with Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders staging protests and demanding his arrest.

On December 20, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe and transferred the Beed district superintendent of police. He also informed the Assembly that Karad had been booked for extortion under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) and would also be booked in Deshmukh’s murder if his role is proved.

The Maharashtra CID has frozen Karad’s bank accounts and is likely to seize his properties.

Deshmukh was kidnapped in broad daylight in a black Scorpio on December 9 and allegedly assaulted for around three hours before he succumbed. His body was dumped on a road near his village. Postmortem report indicated that he died “due to haemorrhage and shock due to multiple injuries”.

Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, however, slammed the state government over failure of police to arrest Walmik Karad and allowing him to surrender. Congress and NCP(SP) demanded judicial inquiry citing failure of police force to arrest Karad.

“He has not been arrested but has surrendered. It is a failure of the Maharashtra police and the CID that they could not arrest Karad for over 22 days. This clearly shows that there is political interference in the case and the accused were being shielded,” said Ambadas Danve, Sena UBT leader and leader of Opposition in state legislative council.

He said that even as Karad has surrendered, three accused in the murder case are still at large and demanded their immediate arrest.

On Tuesday, CM Fadnavis assured that the police will not rest until all the accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case are arrested and hanged.

“We will not spare anyone. Action will be taken against all those who are found to be involved… We will not allow goons to rule… No the probe has been expedited, which is why the accused (Karad) had to surrender… Police teams have also been dispatched to find the other absconding accused… All will be nabbed,” Fadnavis said.

Adding that he spoke to the brothers of Deshmukh over phone, the CM said, “I told him not to worry and assured that no matter what happens, police will not rest until all the culprits are arrested and hanged.”

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas from Beed district who has been raising the issue met the Chief Minister after the surrender of Karad in Pune.

Dhas said that he requested the CM to seize the property of Karad immediately to uncover his crimes and arrest the remaining three accused. He also demanded that Karad be booked for murder.

NCP SP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar reiterated Dhas’s demand and demanded that the case be tried in the fast track court after booking Karad for murder case. He also demanded the resignation of Dhananjay Munde as minister.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh family demanded police protection, stating that there is an atmosphere of fear in the village.