Maharashtra Court Sends Extortion-Accused Walmik Karad To 15-Day Custody

A Maharashtra court has remanded Walmik Karad, a key accused in an extortion case linked to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district, to 15 days of police custody.

Karad, who was wanted in connection with the case, surrendered to the police in Pune. Following his surrender, he was initially taken to a government hospital in Kej before being brought to a local police station, an official confirmed.

Karad’s arrest has sparked political controversy, with the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) accusing the state police of orchestrating the surrender to undermine the legal process. The NCP also described the whole episode as a “mockery” of law enforcement, suggesting that the circumstances surrounding Karad’s surrender were suspicious.

Assistant government pleader JB Shinde confirmed to reporters that the court had granted the 15-day custody to facilitate an in-depth investigation into the case. The police plan to use this time to gather further evidence, including Karad’s voice sample, which is a critical part of the ongoing investigation.

Karad’s defense lawyer, however, expressed concerns about the legal handling of the case. He pointed out that the sections under which Karad was charged seemed “inapplicable” based on the details of the First Information Report (FIR). “If we look at the background, the court has not considered our arguments yet, but we hope that by the 14th day, when the custody period concludes, it might be taken into account,” the lawyer stated.

The lawyer also criticized the unusually long 15-day custody period, saying that it was an unprecedented decision in cases of extortion. He suggested that if another accused had been in Karad’s position, they might have been granted bail rather than being held for such an extended period.

This case has attracted significant attention not only because of the gravity of the charges against Karad but also due to the political implications and legal debates surrounding the handling of the case.

The situation continues to evolve, and both the legal and political ramifications will likely unfold in the coming weeks.

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