“Dhananjay Munde has submitted his resignation. I have accepted it and forwarded it to Governor CP Radhakrishnan,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters at Vidhan Bhawan.
Munde’s resignation follows mounting allegations against Karad, who has been accused in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed. Karad is also wanted in connection with a ₹2 crore extortion case linked to Deshmukh’s killing, according to ANI.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reportedly met Fadnavis on Monday night to discuss the implications of the charge sheet filed by the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Sources indicate that the CID’s findings intensified pressure on Munde, leading to the chief minister’s decision.
“Fadnavis has asked Dhananjay Munde to resign as minister today,” PTI quoted a source as saying.
Munde, who served as Maharashtra’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, is an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), representing the Parli constituency in Beed district. He previously held the position of guardian minister for Beed, a role now overseen by Ajit Pawar along with Pune.
The murder case dates back to December 9 last year, when Santosh Deshmukh was abducted, tortured, and killed. Investigators believe he was targeted for resisting an extortion attempt against an energy firm in Beed district.
On February 27, the CID submitted a 1,200-page charge sheet to a court in Beed, detailing accusations against Karad and other suspects. Three separate cases have been registered at Kej police station, including Deshmukh’s murder, an extortion bid against Avaada Energy, and an assault on the company’s security personnel. Authorities have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused.
So far, seven individuals have been arrested under MCOCA, while one suspect remains at large.
