Beed sarpanch murder: Defence demands statements of witnesses, accused by next hearing on March 26

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The defence in the Beed Sarpanch murder case on Wednesday claimed in a local court that they had not received the statement of the accused and witnesses, PTI reported.

The accused were produced virtually in the case's first hearing in a court in Beed's Kej. Police have since arrested seven individuals, including former state minister Dhananjay Munde's close associate Walmik Karad, in connection with the murder. One accused is still on the run.

Speaking to the media, Assistant Government Prosecutor (AGP) Balasaheb Kolhe said that the court has sought their response to the demand of the defence by March 26, the next hearing date. Renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam is the public prosecutor in the case.

Anant Tidke, who represented the accused Sudarshan Ghule, told PTI reporters that they have not yet received the statements of the witnesses and the accused, who have been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

"We have also not got the videos (related to the case). We have demanded the papers (related to the case). Now, the public prosecutor has been given time to produce their response," he said, PTI cited.

"It is our right to get these documents and the papers we have received so far are incomplete," he claimed.

AGP Kolhe said that the accused were produced virtually and their lawyers had filed three applications. "The court has given us time (till March 26) to submit our response to their applications," he added, PTI reported.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Maharashtra's Beed district, was kidnapped, tortured and killed on December 9 last year allegedly for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy company.

Seven individuals, including Karad, have been arrested so far. The others arrested include Sudarshan Ghule, Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, Sudhir Sangale and Prateek Ghule. One Krishna Andhale is a wanted accused in the case.

According to PTI, besides others, five secret witnesses have told investigators about the criminal activities of Karad and his associates in the Beed district, the home turf of NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, who resigned as a state minister earlier this month.

(With inputs from PTI)