Eight booked under MCOCA in Beed sarpanch murder case

Mumbai, Jan 11 Amid raging controversy over the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the case, booked all eight accused under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Saturday.

Sudarshan Ghule, Prateek Ghule, Sudhir Sangle, Krishna Andhale, Vishnu Chate, Siddharth Sonawane, Mahesh Kedar and Jayram Chate, who have been so far arrested in the case, will be tried under the MCOCA.

Interestingly, Walmik Karad, a close confidant of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, who has been under arrest after his surrender in a dramatic manner in connection with extortion, has not been booked under the MCOCA.

Karad, the "mastermind" behind the killing of sarpanch, has been booked for extortion.

According to MCOCA, organised crime is defined as any unlawful continuing activity by an individual, singly or jointly, either as a member of a crime syndicate or on behalf of such a syndicate, by the use or threat or violence, terrorism, coercion, intimidation, insurgency or other means intending to gain undue economic gains or advantage of himself or a group.

According to Section 3 (1) of the MCOCA, the accused can be punished with imprisonment for a minimum of five years to life. It also provides for confiscation of the property of the accused.

The SIT's move comes at a time when all-party protests are being held across the state demanding justice for the family of Santosh Deshmukh and the execution of the accused involved in the murder.

The protestors are also demanding that Karad be booked for murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further, the protestors are also demanding the resignation of NCP Dhananjay Munde in the wake of his proximity with Karad.

NCP legislator Prakash Solanke has demanded that Munde should resign or be kept as minister without a portfolio until a fair investigation into the case is completed.

On the other hand, Suresh Ramchandra Dhas, BJP legislator from the Ashti Assembly seat in Beed district, has been quite vocal in this case demanding stern action against the accused.

He has repeatedly targeted Dhananjay Munde for the deteriorating law and order in Beed district during his tenure as the District Guardian Minister.

Dhas said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the state government will not spare anyone and the accused will be booked under MCOCA.

Although Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar announced that strict action will be taken against those found guilty, regardless of party affiliation, he has ruled out Dhananjay Munde's resignation citing that CID, SIT and judicial commission probes in the case were underway.