Mumbai, March 4: Amid raging controversy over the brutal killing of Massajog Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday resigned following a directive from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Munde’s personal assistant visited CM Fadnavis’ ‘Sagar’ bungalow and submitted the Minister’s resignation letter to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Munde, who is diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy (partial paralysis), did not come in person as he preferred to stay at the official bungalow.

The opposition staged a protest at the entrance of Vidhan Bhavan, demanding the resignation of Munde and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who was convicted by the Nashik court in a fake documents case.

Although Munde was reluctant to tender his resignation, it was CM Fadnavis who prevailed over him and asked him to step down, especially when the chorus was increasing from ruling and opposition parties and various social organisations.

Munde’s resignation comes a day after the photos and videos of Deshmukh’s murder went viral on TV channels.

He was asked to resign days after the 1800-page charge sheet filed by the state CID had named the Minister’s close associate Walmik Karad as the mastermind in the broad daylight murder of Santosh Deshmukh in December last year. The charge sheet has mentioned all eight accused, including Karad, though one accused Krishna Andhale is still missing.

Karad has already been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in connection with the extortion case, which was linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Munde was under tremendous pressure to submit his resignation, but he and the NCP took the stand that he would resign after the findings of the investigations by CID, special investigation team and judicial committee.

NCP president and Dy CM Ajit Pawar reiterated that the party has condemned the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch, adding that it will take a call on Munde’s resignation after probe and the court order. Ajit Pawar had reminded Munde that he had himself submitted his resignation on moral grounds in the past after he was targeted over the irrigation scam. Thereafter, the Chief Minister left the decision of Munde’s resignation to Ajit Pawar.

The charge sheet was filed last week, along with matching voice samples of Karad and the company employees. CCTV footage showed the connection of the accused in the murder case with the extortion crime. The police sources said that after a CID investigation with the help of about 180 witnesses, Walmik was named as the mastermind of the crime. Evidence was been presented against eight accused, including Karad. The ‘digital’ evidence in this investigation, conducted under the guidance of Investigation Officer Basavaraj Teli, was examined and prepared by the forensic laboratory.

In the extortion case, Walmik has been accused of being the mastermind behind the crime. It has been mentioned in the charge sheet that he said, “End him as soon as he comes; otherwise, he will be forced to beg.”

Among the accused, Sudarshan Ghule and his accomplices were involved in organized crime. The charge sheet states that he and his accomplices committed 11 crimes in 10 years in Kej, Ambajogai in Beed district and Dharur and Kalamb in Dharashiv district.

According to the charge sheet, on October 8, 2024, Avaada Energy’s Land Acquisition Officer Shivaji Thopte went to meet Walmik Karad at his office in Parli at his request. Vishnu Chate was present at that time. At this time, Karad threatened, ‘If you want to keep the company running, pay Rs 2 crore or else stop all the work of Avada Company in Beed district.’

Further, on November 29, for the same demand, Sudarshan Ghule threatened, ‘Fulfill Walmik Anna’s demand and meet him. Do not start the work till then.’ Avadda Energy’s land acquisition officer Shivaji Thopte was abused and beaten up and threatened to pay Rs 2 crore or else the company would be closed.

Thereafter the company employees called and informed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh about the incident. Following this, Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh went to the site and requested Sudarshan Ghule and his associates, ‘Don’t close the company. Let people get employment.’

At that time, since Sudarshan Ghule was at the forefront in demanding extortion, the sarpanch threatened Santosh Deshmukh, saying that he would not leave him alive.

On the afternoon of November 29, 2024, Walmik Karad, Vishnu Chate, Sudarshan Ghule, Prateek Ghule, Sudhir Sangle and Krishna Andhale held a meeting at Vishnu Chate’s office in Kej and demanded that Avaada Energy should pay Rs 2 crore. They hatched a conspiracy on the recovery of ransom and also how to deal with Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

According to the charge sheet, Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and murdered at the Dongaon toll plaza on December 9 last year. Since the charge sheet was filed in the court within 80 days, it will now be difficult for the accused to get bail, said the police sources. The government has recently appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special prosecutor in the case.