Didn't mean to support accused: Seer's U-turn after meeting slain sarpanch's kin

Two days after Namdev Shastri, chief of Bhanwangad - the religious power centre of the Vanjari community, stoked controversy by saying Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and minister Dhananjay Munde had been wrongfully implicated in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, the mahant (chief religious leader) on Sunday made an about-turn, claiming he did not mean to support the accused in the case and stood by the slain sarpanch's family firmly.

- Surendra P Gangan

MUMBAI:

The development came after the deceased's brother Dhananjay Deshmukh and daughter Vaibhavi Deshmukh met Shastri on Sunday afternoon, submitted documents related to the accused, and said they expected the mahant to clear his stand on the case.

Santosh Deshmukh, three-time sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was brutally killed on December 9, 2024, allegedly by associates of Walmik Karad, a trusted aide of food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde, for opposing an extortion bid on a wind energy firm. While Karad surrendered before the criminal investigation department (CID) on December 31, opposition leaders cornered the Mahayuti government, repeatedly seeking Munde's expulsion from the cabinet.