Walmik Karad Requests Court Release in Sarpanch Murder Case

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Walmik Karad, one of the main accused in the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, has asked a Beed court to free him from the case. He argues that there is no strong evidence against him. The court has asked the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) for a response to his request.

If the court believes there isn’t enough proof against Karad after the chargesheet is filed, it can allow him to avoid a trial. Santosh Deshmukh, who led Massajog village in Maharashtra’s Beed district, was kidnapped and brutally killed on December 9 last year. It is believed he was murdered for trying to stop an extortion scheme involving an energy company. So far, eight people, including Karad, have been arrested and are facing serious charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

Last month, the CID submitted a lengthy chargesheet of more than 1,200 pages about Deshmukh’s murder. Ujjwal Nikam, a special public prosecutor, said that Karad wanted some documents, which they have now shown to the court. He also mentioned that Karad’s claim of lacking evidence is part of his request to be released from the case.

During the court session, a video showing Santosh Deshmukh being attacked, reportedly recorded by the accused, was shown. However, prosecutors asked the court not to release this video to the public as it could cause disturbances. The court will hear more on this topic on April 24, along with a request by the prosecution