
The Maharashtra government on Monday reconstituted the Special Investigation (SIT) Team to investigate the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. While the CID Deputy Inspector General Basavraj Teli continues to head the team, other members have been changed and no officer from Beed is included in the new team. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also directed the officials to action against the culprits.
New SIT will have six members
Apart from Basavraj Teli, the new SIT will have 6 members. CID Additional Superintendent of Police (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) Kiran Patil will now investigate the case under the monitoring of Teli. Other members are- CID Beed deputy SP Anil Gujar, inspector Subhash Muthe, CID Flying Squad inspector Akshay Kumar Thikane as well as constables Sharmila Salunkhe and Dipali Pawar.
'No officer from Beed'
BJP leader Dhas Suresh said no officer from Beed would be included in the new SIT. "A new SIT has been formed after the family raised questions on some people of the earlier SIT which was headed by Basavaraj Teli and 9 other people were part of it. The current SIT will have 6 people headed by Basavaraj Teli. No officer from Beed will be included in the SIT," Dhas told reporters.
Beed sarpanch murder case
On December 9, Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of the Masajog village in Beed district was murdered after he allegedly opposed an extortion attempt. Reportedly, local leader Vishnu Chate, demanded Rs 2 crore from an energy firm installing windmills in the area.
Police have registered a murder case and an extortion case linked to the killing. Eight people have been arrested in the murder case, while three persons have been held for alleged involvement in the extortion case.
On Saturday, police slapped the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against all eight accused in the sarpanch murder case.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh to ensure action against the culprits.
(With inputs from agencies)