Minister Munde's associate Walmik Karad surrenders, sent in 14-day police custody
Beed (PTI): Maharashtra NCP minister Dhananjay Munde's close associate Walmik Karad, wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, has been remanded in 14-day police custody after he surrendered in Pune.
Karad, with his associates, arrived at the Crime Investigation Department's (CID) office in Pune in a car on Tuesday morning.
A preliminary inquiry was conducted and he was handed over to the Beed CID team, which is investigating the murder and extortion cases, Inspector General of Police Sarang Awad said.
He was later taken to a court at Kej in Beed district. The court, in a late night sitting, remanded him in 14-day police custody as sought by the CID.
Before turning himself in, Karad posted a video on social media, claiming he was being linked to the murder for reasons of political vendetta.
Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej tehsil of Beed district, was abducted last month and brutally killed 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.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, facing heat over the law-and-order situation, on Tuesday said no "goonda-raj" will be tolerated in the state, but the opposition questioned the police's failure to nab Karad for about three weeks.
During the recently held winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, the opposition alleged that Karad was the "mastermind" of the murder.
The Fadnavis-led coalition government, sworn in on December 5, finds itself in a tricky situation because of Karad's links with Dhananjay Munde, who hails from Beed, and also because of the caste angle.
While the victim was a Maratha, the accused are from the OBC Vanjari community.
Fadnavis, who holds the Home department, on Tuesday said he spoke with Deshmukh's brother over phone, and assured him that justice will be done.
"Until the guilty are hanged to death, the police will continue to do their duty. All individuals involved in the Beed case will face prosecution. We will not tolerate 'goonda raj' (rule of criminals)....Nobody will be spared," he told reporters.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe questioned the police's failure to track down Karad, and said Fadnavis had no moral grounds to remain chief minister.
A sitting judge should oversee the investigation in the Deshmukh murder case, the Congress leader demanded.
NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde should be sacked, asking how a suspect linked with him could be questioned while Munde remains in the cabinet.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said Karad posting a viral video and the police still remaining clueless about his whereabouts was shocking.
Beed BJP MLA Suresh Dhas congratulated CM Fadnavis over Karad's surrender, but targeted Munde.
Karad and Dhananjay Munde were "two sides of the same coin," he claimed, adding that Munde's resignation has been sought by his own party leaders.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange indicated that the Maratha community, to which Deshmukh belonged, would launch an agitation if the government failed to take action against supporters of the accused, whether they be ministers, MLAs or MPs.
Former Rajya Sabha member Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati demanded that Karad be booked for the sarpanch's murder and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) be invoked against him.
It is difficult to secure bail under the MCOCA.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
