Maharashtra: Dhananjay Munde Resigns Amid Controversy Over Beed Sarpanch Murder

Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde has stepped down from his position following a controversy surrounding the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Munde tendered his resignation on Tuesday to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis through his private secretary and officer on special duty.

Chief Minister Fadnavis confirmed that Munde had been relieved of his duties as the state minister for food and civil supplies. The resignation has been forwarded to the governor for further action.

मंत्री धनंजय मुंडे ने मुझे अपना इस्तीफा सौंप दिया है और मैंने इस्तीफा स्वीकार कर लिया है…

(मीडिया से संवाद | विधानभवन, मुंबई | 4-3-2025)#Maharashtra #MaharashtraPolitics pic.twitter.com/knrskUziA2

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 4, 2025

Dhananjay Munde Cites Health Reasons for Resignation Amid Beed Sarpanch Murder Case

बीड जिल्ह्यातील मस्साजोगचे स्व. संतोष देशमुख यांच्या निर्घृण हत्येतील आरोपींना कठोरात कठोर शिक्षा व्हावी, ही माझी पहिल्या दिवसापासूनची ठाम मागणी आहे. काल समोर आलेले फोटो पाहून तर मन अत्यंत व्यथित झाले.

या प्रकरणाचा तपास पूर्ण झाला असून आरोपपत्र न्यायालयात दाखल झाले आहे. तसेच,…

— Dhananjay Munde (@dhananjay_munde) March 4, 2025

Expressing deep anguish over the brutal murder of Beed’s Santosh Deshmukh, Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde reiterated his demand for the strictest punishment for those involved. He stated that he had been firm on this stand from the very beginning. 

Referring to the recently surfaced images related to the case, Munde mentioned that they had left him deeply disturbed. He confirmed that the investigation had been completed, and a chargesheet had been filed in court, with judicial proceedings now underway.

Munde further cited health issues as a reason for stepping down from his ministerial position. He stated that doctors had advised him to undergo medical treatment for the next few days, which led him to submit his resignation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on medical grounds.

Munde’s resignation follows mounting pressure over allegations linking his close associate, Walmik Karad, to the murder of the sarpanch in December 2024. Viral videos and screenshots further fueled the controversy, intensifying scrutiny over the minister’s connections with the accused.

The decision regarding Munde’s resignation was reportedly made after discussions between Chief Minister Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also met separately with Munde before the final decision was taken.

Opposition Criticism
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray criticized the delay in removing Munde from his post and accused the government of failing to deliver justice to the victim’s family. Sanjay Raut also demanded that Munde be named in the case

हा महाराष्ट्र थांबलाच पाहिजे!

संतोष देशमुख ह्यांच्या हत्येच्या वेळेसचे माध्यमांत फिरणारे फोटो पाहून साऱ्या महाराष्ट्रासारखंच प्रचंड दुःख झालंय, चीड आलीये…. मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी आता ह्या प्रकरणी ज्यांना ते आश्रय देत होते त्यांचा राजीनामा मागितल्याचंही समजतंय…

पण ह्या…

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) March 4, 2025

Beed MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar stated that public outrage over the incident led to a bandh in Beed, with calls for justice. He further alleged that if the extortion meeting linked to the case took place at Munde’s official residence, he should also be investigated as a co-accused.

निशब्द…

स्व.संतोष आण्णा देशमुख यांच्या हत्येचे ते फोटो पाहून मन सुन्न झालं आहे. pic.twitter.com/6jYKomSteZ

— Sandeep Kshirsagar (@SRK_Speaks_) March 3, 2025