Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania on Sunday said the ongoing investigation into the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was “hogwash” and asserted police from outside that district must helm the probe for the truth to come out. Massajog sarpanch Deshmukh was murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in the region.

The Special Investigation Team of the state CID is probing Deshmukh’s murder as well as the extortion case linked to his death. Beed police, which bows down to Walmik Karad, the main accused in the extortion case and a close aide of NCP minister and Parli MLA Dhananjay Munde, cannot conduct a fair and impartial inquiry, Damania alleged. Speaking to reporters, she further alleged Maharashtra ministers Dhananjay Munde and Pankaja Munde, both from Beed, were targeting her with “abusive and vulgar language” through calls and messages.

“I am accused of creating social disharmony by targeting the Vanjari community. I have not done anything like that.

I just mentioned that since the times of (late BJP stalwart) Gopinath Munde, all government appointees in Beed are from one community. Police in the district who belong to a particular community bond with Karad and cannot probe him,” she alleged.  “The ongoing probe is a hogwash. Beed police must not be in charge of the probe. I have met Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla in this regard.

I also urge Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who holds the home portfolio) to take action against those troubling me," Damania added.