Beed Sarpanch murder: Minister Dhananjay Munde refuses to resign, says he has nothing to do with the crime

Dhananjay Munde, food and civil supplies minister

Facing allegations of being the protector of an accused in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh - the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district - food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde has refused to entertain the demand that he resign.

Munde told the mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting that he had nothing to do with the murder for which he has demanded strict action and harsh punishment for the accused. "There is no reason for my resignation. Those demanding it should give a reason," he said. The minister, who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), said that the police were investigating the murder properly.

Valmik Karad, one of the accused. File Pic/PTI

Munde represents the Beed Parli Assembly constituency. Some politicians from the ruling BJP and Opposition have indirectly accused him of being "aaka" (the master) of the accused in the case. But the minister has dismissed all allegations as baseless and political machinations.

"Deshmukh's murder case should be fast-tracked, and the guilty be hanged till death. It has been my demand since the incident was reported," Munde said, adding that there was no question of him putting pressure on the police because the CID is investigating the matter and there will be a judicial probe, too.

Valmik Karad - one of the accused in the extortion case which is believed to have led to Deshmukh's murder - has surrendered to the police and sent to a 15-day police remand. A special investigation team from the state's CID unit has been formed to probe the murder, with some of the prime accused still at large.