Congress on Tuesday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should resign as the police failed to arrest Walmik Karad, an accused in an extortion case linked to sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's murder, until he turned himself in.

Elsewhere, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas targeted NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, claiming that he and Karad were two sides of the same coin, while Maratha activist Manoj Jarange demanded action against all "supporters" of the accused. Karad, a close associate of Munde, surrendered before the police in Pune, days after the brutal murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh created a wave of outrage.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe questioned the police's failure to track down Karad, who was wanted in an extortion case in Beed district, for three weeks.

"Mumbai Police, once considered on par with Scotland Yard, failed to deliver justice. Fadnavis has no moral ground to remain chief minister," he said, adding that the rising crime rate in Fadnavis's home district Nagpur was evidence of the broader law and order crisis in Maharashtra.

A sitting judge should oversee the investigation in the Deshmukh murder case, the Congress leader demanded.

Meanwhile, BJP's Dhas, NCP (SP)'s Sandip Kshirsagar and Majalgaon MLA Prakash Solanke of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, all MLAs from Beed district where Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and murdered on December 9, were likely to meet CM Fadnavis on Tuesday.

Speaking to a regional news channel, Dhas said, "Walmik Karad and Maharashtra minister and Ajit Pawar-led NCP's leader Dhananjay Munde are two sides of the same coin. Munde's resignation has been sought by his own party leader. I still demand that CM Fadnavis should become the guardian minister of Beed so that he can crack down on the gangs controlled by Walmik Karad." In Maharashtra, every district has a guardian minister, who is generally a cabinet member from the respective district or region. Munde represents Parli in Beed district. Guardian ministers in the new BJP-led government are yet to be named.

"I am going to tell CM Fadnavis that there should be no leniency in the Deshmukh murder case," Dhas further said.

The Crime Investigation Department is handling the murder as well as the extortion case.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, speaking to reporters at his village in Jalna district, indicated that the Maratha community, to which Deshmukh belonged, would launch an agitation if the government failed to take action against the supporters of the accused, whether they be ministers, MLAs or MPs.

"The chief minister must ensure justice by acting against the accused (Karad) and those who supported him," he added.

Santosh Deshmukh's brother Dhananjay Deshmukh, who met Jarange at Antarwali Sarati village, told reporters that the CID should examine the mobile call detail records (CDR) of the accused to uncover their links.

Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and tortured to death in Beed's Kej tehsil on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company. Four persons were earlier arrested in the murder case, while Karad was named as a wanted accused in the extortion case.

Opposition has alleged that Karad was the "mastermind" of the murder, though he claimed before surrendering on Tuesday morning that his name was dragged in the case for reasons of political vendetta.

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