Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 4: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday confirmed the acceptance of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde’s resignation, forwarding it to the Governor for further action.
Munde stepped down following mounting controversy over his close aide, Walmik Karad, being named as the mastermind in the murder of Beed’s Massajog Sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh. The resignation letter was submitted by Munde’s personal assistant at the CM’s Sagar bungalow, as the minister, undergoing treatment for Bell’s Palsy, remained at his official residence.
“The resignation has been accepted, and Munde has been relieved from his ministerial duties,” CM Fadnavis stated.
Opposition leaders staged protests outside Vidhan Bhavan, demanding resignations from both Munde and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who was recently convicted in a fake documents case. Though Munde was initially reluctant, pressure from political circles and public outcry led to his exit, particularly after visuals of Deshmukh’s murder surfaced on news channels.
The resignation came just days after the Maharashtra CID submitted an 1800-page charge sheet, identifying Karad as the primary conspirator. The document named eight accused, with one, Krishna Andhale, still absconding.
Karad, already booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in a linked extortion case, was accused of threatening Avaada Energy officials for a Rs 2 cr extortion demand. Sarpanch Deshmukh, who intervened in the matter, was subsequently abducted and murdered at the Dongaon toll plaza on December 9, 2024.
The charge sheet, backed by digital forensic evidence and testimonies from 180 witnesses, detailed Karad’s role in orchestrating the crime. It also implicated accused Sudarshan Ghule and his associates, linking them to 11 organised crimes in Kej, Ambajogai, Dharur, and Kalamb over the past decade.
With senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam appointed as special prosecutor, police sources indicate that securing bail will be difficult for the accused as the case proceeds.
Further updates awaited.