In a closely watched by-election in Maharashtra’s Beed district, the wife of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was defeated in the race for the sarpanch post in Massajog village, reported the PTI.
The result was declared on Wednesday following counting at the Kaij tehsil office.
Returning Officer Santosh Karajwankar confirmed that Swarupanand Deshmukh secured victory by a margin of 92 votes.
Ashwini Deshmukh, widow of the murdered sarpanch, had contested the election amid expectations of a sympathy wave. However, the electorate opted for Swarupanand Deshmukh, overturning the outcome of the previous election.
In the last sarpanch poll, Santosh Deshmukh had narrowly defeated Swarupanand by just nine votes.
Winner promises development and justice
After the victory, Swarupanand Deshmukh said the mandate reflected people’s aspirations for development.
He stated that while the election had been won, efforts to secure justice for the late Santosh Deshmukh would continue, adding that those responsible for the killing must be held accountable.
Murder that triggered bypoll
The by-election was necessitated after Santosh Deshmukh was brutally murdered on December 9, 2024. He was allegedly targeted after attempting to stop an extortion bid linked to a wind power company.
The case led to the arrest of Walmik Karad, an aide of former minister Dhananjay Munde, and eventually resulted in Munde’s resignation from the Maharashtra cabinet.
Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death. The horrific act was allegedly committed because he attempted to stop an extortion.
Meanwhile, eight individuals, including Karad, have been arrested so far and charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a chargesheet exceeding 1,200 pages in the murder case and two related offences in the court.
Discharge plea rejected
Meanwhile, last year, a special court in Beed district had determined that Walmik Karad, the prime accused in the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, appeared to be a member of an organised crime syndicate involved in illegal activities, the PTI had reported.
MCOCA judge, V H Patwadkar, had rejected Karad`s discharge application in the case, stating that he and his co-accused had shot a video of the attack on the victim “to create terror of their gang/syndicate”.
(with PTI inputs)