Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has expressed displeasure over remarks made by the party MLA Suresh Dhas in public targeting NCP minister Dhananjay Munde amid a political slugfest over the Beed sarpanch murder case.
The Nationalist Congress Party, led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, is an ally of BJP in the Mahayuti.
Dhas has been criticising Munde, without naming him, since the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh came to light earlier this month.
The MLA from Ashti constituency in Beed district has alleged that the main accused in the murder case are evading arrest due to their links with Munde.
Bawankule said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured the state legislature to bring culprits in the murder case to justice irrespective of their political connections.
"I will ask Suresh Dhas to share any information he possesses directly with the chief minister rather than going public. I will tell him not to make any comments which will hamper the (murder) probe, " Bawankule told reporters on Friday.
Bawankule visited Shirdi in Ahilyanagar district to oversee preparations for the state-level BJP convention, scheduled for January 12.
"15,000 delegates will converge in Shirdi for the BJP conclave which will be inaugurated by (BJP chief) JP Nadda. (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah will deliver the valedictory address," the BJP leader said.
He said the BJP core committee will meet on the eve of the conclave to discuss the roadmap for fulfilling assurances given to the people and development of Maharashtra.
Police have so far arrested four persons, including former tehsil chief of Ajit Pawar-headed NCP Vishnu Chate, in connection with the sarpanch Deshmukh's murder, which has set off a huge political firestorm in Maharashtra.
Police are on the lookout for three others who have been named as wanted accused for kidnapping Deshmukh and brutally killing him on December 9.
Among those wanted in connection with a related extortion case is Beed resident Walmik Karad, reportedly a close associate of NCP minister and Parli MLA Dhananjay Munde.
According to police, Deshmukh was prima facie killed because he had opposed an extortion bid targetting a windmill company in Beed district.
Chate had allegedly demanded Rs 2 crore from an energy company that had installed a windmill in the district and threatened to stop operations if the extortion demand was not met, police said.
Deshmukh had tried to intervene, leading to his abduction, torture and murder, following which an FIR was registered against seven persons, including Chate.
The extortion case against Chate, Karad, and another person was registered on the complaint of the energy firm, police said.
Following Deshmukh's murder, there were protests across Beed, especially after photographs of his body with injury marks were shared widely on social media.
While Deshmukh belongs to the Maratha community, Vishnu Chate and two other accused are from the Vanjari community, part of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
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