Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania has called the investigation into the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh of the BJP “a sham”.

She was commenting on the developments related to the surrender of alleged killer Valmik Karad, who is known to be close to Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader as well as Food And Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde.

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The development has come after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) vociferously demanded Munde’s resignation, alleging that the investigation into Santosh Deshmukh’s murder would be compromised if he remained in office. The Opposition alliance had also alleged that the surrender of the accused, Valmik Karad, to the police was “stage managed”.

However, the Home Ministry, which oversees the functioning of the police, headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has been trying its best to give the impression that the investigation will be “impartial”.

On Thursday, the anti-corruption activist said in Beed, “What is happening in the name of investigation is a sham. It is a laughable thing. The police are not looking for anything. If the CID is not able to do it, then the investigation should be handed over to Shivaji Satam (referring to a popular Marathi TV star who stars in a popular Marathi TV serial as the head of CID).”“I returned after Valmik Karad was arrested. I got the information about the Mahagenco Thermal Power Plant and studied the huge amount of money being extorted. I studied what is fly ash and what is bottom
ash. Some 80% of the fly ash goes to a cement company but the bottom ash is forcibly taken away on pistol point. The superintendents of police who have been transferred in the past should have been sacked.

They did absolutely nothing at all despite receiving several letters in this regard from the Mahagenco Thermal Plant management. While the media knew that Valmik Karad was going to surrender, the police purportedly didn’t know about it and we are supposed to believe it,” said Anjali Damania.

She asked, “Why did the police take so long to get to Valmik Karad, for around 25 days? (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena leader Milind Narvekar should have taken a stand against it. Is he close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis?”

“I studied the government offices of Beed and got to know that they are full of officials from the OBC Vanjari community. They were recruited when Gopinath Munde was part of the Maharashtra government and later brought to Beed. Most government officials in Beed are from this community. So, what justice will they give to others? During the elections, our fingers were inked and we were thrown out. We were not allowed to vote,” Damania alleged.

Incidentally, an Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader as well as food and civil supplies minister happens to be from the OBC Vanjari community. Anjali Damania posted on her X handle that government officials in Beed favour food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde. “There were thinkers like Bhagwan Baba from the Vanjari community who provided educational, social, moral and cultural enlightenment in the rural areas. He coordinated the path of devotion, the path of action and the path of knowledge. By misusing his name and work, some
political leaders and people like Valmik Karad are defaming this legacy.

Dhananjay Munde has appointed people from his community to favour him and I definitely have my objections about this”. Damania shared a list of officials in Parli with their names. “All the people from the Vanjari community must wake up and understand that these people (politicians like Munde) are only using them. I am giving a complete list to explain the issue, she tweeted. Ranks and names of officers in Parli in Beed district are, Parli City Police Station Chief – Ravi Sanap, Parli Rural Police Station Chief – Suresh Chate, Parli Tehsildar – Venkatesh Munde, Parli Group Development Officer – Vitthal Nagargoje, Parli Co-Group Development Officer – S S Munde. The Maharashtra state government should take the right decision in this regard. I am certainly not blaming an entire community, but the truth is that they are being utilised at the moment,” Anjali Damania said.