MUMBAI: NCP MLA Prakash Solanke on Saturday suggested that the party leader and minister Dhananjay Munde be ousted from the Maharashtra ministry to ensure a fair probe in the Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
Solanke is the first Nationalist Congress Party leader and second from the Mahayuti coalition to target Munde, an MLA from Beed district. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas has also been criticising Munde, without taking his name, over the crime in Beed.
"When he was guardian minister of Beed for five years, Munde delegated all powers and authority to his close aide Walmik Karad who has been arrested in an extortion case (in connection with Deshmukh's murder)," Solanke told reporters.
He alleged Karad became an "unconstitutional authority" in Beed where lawlessness and extortion became rampant and anti-social elements called the shots.
"Munde should stay out of the cabinet to ensure a fair probe in the sarpanch's murder. If he is unwilling, the (NCP) leadership should ask him to do so. I have spoken to (Deputy CM) Ajit Pawar and (Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavis, and also publicly," said Solanke, who represents the Majalgaon assembly constituency in Beed district.
Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in the region.
Walmik Karad has been arrested in the extortion case in connection with the murder.
Police so far arrested six out of seven persons named in the murder case.