Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar claimed in Nagpur on Thursday that “smaller fish” could be killed in a police ‘encounter’ to save the ‘big fish’ involved in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, in order to destroy evidence.

Though Wadettiwar failed to elaborate about his sensational remark, it is being speculated that “smaller fish” could be Valmik Karad and his associates while “bigger fish” could mean food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde.

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Without naming anybody, Wadettiwar claimed, “According to reliable sources, smaller fish could be killed in an encounter to save the big fish” and asked for whom beds were taken to the police station in Beed. “Were those for Valmik Karad, who is in police custody?” he asked and demanded an inquiry into it.

However, when food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde was asked to comment on Wadettiwar’s statement, Munde said, “Vijay Vadettiwar is a smart person when it comes to talking. However, this is the first time I am hearing this. Whose encounter is he talking about? The police administration and CID are investigating the Beed case properly.

“Santosh Deshmukh was murdered and the case against those who committed this murder should be tried in a fast track court and the accused must be given the death penalty. So this makes no sense because I was the first person to demand that the Beed murder case should be tried in a fast track court”.

Talking about how the opposition has made serious allegations that the opposition has demanded that Dhananjay Munde must resign as food and civil supplies minister, Munde said, “Why should I resign? I have nothing to do with any incident. I am neither an accused in any of these cases, nor do I have any connection with them. So why would anyone want to resign?”

Commenting about the opposition demand that the post of Guardian Minister of Beed district must not be given to Dhananjay Munde, he said, “The media knows what should happen before even we know. Now why should I not be the guardian minister of Beed? It would be more appropriate to ask this question to the people who are opposing it”.

When asked why MLAs from all parties have united against him, Dhananjay Munde said, “I cannot say that it was wrong for them to come together because the Santosh Deshmukh murder incident was very unfortunate. Everyone agrees that whoever is guilty in that incident should be hanged”.