The mobile phone recovered from Valmik Karad has added fuel to the controversy. “A case under Section 302 for murder will not be registered against Karad at all because his godfather is in power. I have exposed the chats to show the extent of these links,” said Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday.

“Santosh Deshmukh belonged to the BJP, not our party, but we are fighting for the survival of humanity. While providing a government lawyer to Deshmukh’s family, it is crucial to take them into confidence. I request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to investigate the murders that have occurred in the last two to three years and also speak with the victims’ families. Only then will it be clear who grabbed whose land and who killed whom,” Awhad added.

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Echoing the demand of Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar, Jitendra Awhad also urged the people of Maharashtra not to remain silent until a case under Section 302 for conspiracy to murder is filed against Valmik Karad.

Despite these calls, Fadnavis has remained silent about documentary evidence allegedly linking his Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, to Valmik Karad—the alleged murderer of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, who belonged to the BJP. Fadnavis has also ignored the evidence uploaded by anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania on her X handle, allegedly connecting Munde to Karad.

Earlier on Saturday, CM Fadnavis directed the Additional Director General of CID Maharashtra to immediately cancel the gun licenses of those accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case and confiscate their properties.

He also instructed the Superintendent of Police, Beed, to review all gun licenses issued in Beed so far. The CM’s actions followed a series of tweets by anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania, which included photographs and videos of the accused and their associates in the Massajog village sarpanch’s murder case.

Chief Minister Fadnavis also ordered the cancellation of the licenses of individuals appearing in Damania’s photographs carrying guns—if the firearms are verified as real. However, he has yet to address the documents uploaded by Damania linking Dhananjay Munde to Valmik Karad, further intensifying the controversy.