Dhananjay Deshmukh, the brother of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, has claimed that the perpetrators of his brother's murder likely had political protection. Speaking on Thursday, Dhananjay expressed confidence that a thorough investigation would reveal whether the accused were shielded by political forces. He also called for the swift arrest of one remaining fugitive who has been on the run for over a month and demanded severe punishment for all those involved in the crime.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured, and brutally murdered on December 9, allegedly as retaliation for his attempts to curb extortion efforts against an energy company linked to a windmill project. Since the start of the investigation, seven individuals have been arrested, though one accused is still evading capture.