Mumbai - The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today questioned the Maharashtra government's delay in invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against the killers of Santosh Pandit Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed.

NCP (SP) General Secretary and Assembly leader Dr. Jitendra Awhad criticized the Beed Police for omitting the name of the prime accused, Walmik Karad, in the murder case. Awhad alleged that Karad, wanted under IPC Section 302 for murder, is being deliberately protected, and the case is being manipulated to fade from public memory.

Awhad further pointed to a statement by BJP MLA Suresh R. Dhas, which hinted at the involvement of influential figures in the Sarpanch's murder. He directly named Minister Dhananjay P. Munde of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party as a suspect and demanded his resignation. Awhad emphasized the responsibility of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, as the NCP President, to take action against Munde in light of these allegations.

Awhad also criticized the government for failing to fulfill Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's promise of a swift judicial inquiry into the case. He highlighted the government's inaction in apprehending Karad, drawing a comparison to their unfulfilled promise of extraditing Dawood Ibrahim. He stated that Fadnavis had assured the Assembly that the Beed murder case would be investigated by a judicial panel and all the accused would be booked and punished soon, but no action has been taken.