An extra 14 days have been added to Walmik Karad’s judicial detention. Karad is suspected of killing Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. This ruling might further extend his detention as the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Beed gets ready to submit a remand motion, which is anticipated to happen soon.
Case Background
After Santosh Deshmukh was killed on December 9, 2024, Walmik Karad, a close aide to Dhananjay Munde, the minister of food and civil supplies for Maharashtra, was accused under MCOCA. After thwarting an attempt at extortion against a local energy company, Deshmukh was allegedly kidnapped and subjected to torture. According to preliminary investigations, Karad had communication with the attackers while the crime was being committed [1][2][4].
After evading capture since the murder, Karad first turned himself in to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on December 31, 2024. After that, he was detained by the police for 14 days, until January 14, 2025. He was then placed into judicial custody on remand after the CID attempted to charge him under MCOCA for allegedly participating in organised crime linked to Deshmukh’s murder [3][5].
Current Events
Karad was not physically present in court when his judicial detention was extended on February 4, 2025. This extension shows that the court is still considering the accusations and supporting documentation against him. According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), they are ready to provide more proof that connects Karad to the extortion and murder cases [7][8].
The slain sarpanch’s brother, Dhananjay Deshmukh, has openly said that no accused person should be released on bail, citing the “atmosphere of terror” that the case’s participants have fostered. He has asked government attorneys to make sure that any bail requests from Karad or his co-accused are met with compelling arguments [2][6].
Court Cases Coming Up
Karad’s legal team is anticipating comprehensive material pertaining to the MCOCA allegations as the case develops. As additional hearings draw near, his attorney is getting ready for a strong defence and has voiced alarm over the unexpected events. Whether additional custody extensions are allowed or whether there is any progress towards bail applications will be determined by the next court appearance [1][4].
In conclusion, investigations into Walmik Karad’s suspected involvement in a well-known murder case entwined with organised crime and extortion attempts are still ongoing, and he is still in judicial custody. Given the political ties at stake and the gravity of the charges against him, the court proceedings are anticipated to garner a great deal of public and media interest.
Citations:
[1] https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/walmik-karad-charged-under-mcoca-in-beed-sarpanch-s-murder-101736859879083.html
[2] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/walmik-karad-sent-in-judicial-custody-should-not-get-bail-says-deshmukh-s-brother-101737542208141.html
[3] https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/beed-sarpanch-murder-walmik-karad-charged-under-mcoca-9778369/
[4] https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/beed-mcoca-court-sends-walmik-karad-to-14-day-judicial-custody-101737569891865.html
[5] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/maharashtra-ministers-aide-gets-14-day-judicial-custody-charged-under-mcoca/articleshow/117242894.cms
