If 'inquiry' shows Munde has no connection, he will get 'opportunity', says Ajit Pawar

Dhananjay Munde will be given an "opportunity" if he is absolved in the "inquiry" against him, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said here on Friday without providing details, possibly referring to the Beed sarpanch murder case following which the NCP MLA had to quit the Devendra Fadnavis government.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog in Beed, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 last year for opposing an extortion bid on a firm helming a windmill project there. The case triggered national outrage.

The arrest of Walmik Karad, a close aide of Munde, in the case led to strident demands from the opposition and even some leaders of the ruling Mahayuti that the Parli MLA be dropped from the state cabinet. Munde quit on March 4 this year.

Responding to media queries about the High Court dismissing a petition alleging a scam in the purchase and distribution of equipment when Munde was state agriculture minister (between July 2023 and November 2024), Pawar, who heads the NCP, said, "He has been given a clean chit. But he had to endure mental stress." "In another case, a judicial inquiry is ongoing. Once that is completed, the facts will come out. If it turns that he has no connection whatsoever, we will give him an opportunity (apparent reference to ministership)," Pawar said.

Queried on Pawar's comments, Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde said any move to bring back Munde into the state government would be "unfortunate".

"It is that party's (NCP) decision. But the wife of Mahadev Munde, who was killed in Beed, has been seeking justice for months and even attempted suicide. This shows the government is not serious about delivering justice," he claimed.

"If Munde is brought back into the cabinet, it will be unfortunate," Shinde asserted.

Mahadev Munde, a resident of Parli, was abducted on October 19, 2023 and his body was found three days later. His wife consumed poison at the office of the Beed superintendent of police last week to protest the delay in arresting the culprits.

Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar also said orders have been given for strict action in the Daund firing case, in which the accused include the brother of NCP MLA Shankar Mandekar.

Balasaheb Mandekar and others are accused of firing in the air at Ambika Lok Kala Kendra near Yavat in Daund during a folk dance performance on July 21.

"The party isn't insulted if one man's behaviour is wrong," Pawar asserted.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)