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Beed sarpanch murder case: Old CCTV footage showing accused together goes viral
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has secured the footage and is investigating its contents, an official said
An old CCTV (closed-circuit television) video dated November 29, 2024 has gone viral on social media, allegedly showing suspects involved in the extortion demand made to Avaada Wind Energy firm and the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The footage reportedly shows Walmik Karad, Vishnu Chate, Sudarshan Ghule, Krushna Andhale, and police sub-inspector (PSI) Rajesh Patil together.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has secured the footage and is investigating its contents, an official said.
Previously, another CCTV video surfaced, showing Patil, Ghule, and Dhananjay Deshmukh, the brother of the murdered Massajog sarpanch, chatting at a hotel on December 8, a day before the murder. The latest footage, reportedly from a CCTV camera outside Chate’s office, shows the suspects holding a meeting before attempting to extort money from the Avaada company, said the officer.
Beed MLA Suresh Dhas claimed the November 29 footage is taken from outside Chate’s office in Kej.
“On that day, Karad met Chate at the office. The footage also shows Prateek Ghule, Sudarshan Ghule, and their associates, who later brutally murdered Santosh. Patil, who was also seen in the video, was suspended due to his alleged role in the case,” Dhas said. He questioned why Patil met Karad on the day the extortion demand was made to Avaada.
SIT sources revealed that PSI Patil is likely to face questioning by the CID and SIT. Investigators allege that Chate, acting on behalf of Karad, demanded a ransom of ₹2 crore from Avaada. When the company officials refused, Chate, accompanied by his associates, visited the company’s premises, leading to an argument with a security guard from Massajog village. Sarpanch Deshmukh intervened and confronted Chate.
On December 9, Deshmukh was abducted and later brutally murdered.
All seven accused in the case, along with one absconding suspect, have been charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999. Karad, a close aide of food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde, was also charged under MCOCA at the end of his 14-day CID custody. The Beed court has remanded him to CID-SIT custody until January 22.
Despite repeated attempts, Beed SP Navneet Kanwat did not comment on the newly surfaced video, and SIT chief Basavraj Teli remained unavailable for response.
