Justice Undone

The murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has far transcended the confines of a local political spat to snowball into a crisis of governance for Maharashtra’s Mahayuti government. What should have been a swift investigation into a heinous crime has turned into a sordid saga of political intrigue, institutional failure and public distrust. Over a month after the brutal killing, there is no closure for Deshmukh’s grieving family, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) initially formed to probe the case lies in tatters, its credibility undone by allegations of bias.

The decision to reconstitute the SIT following complaints from Deshmukh’s family underscores the rot in Maharashtra’s law enforcement machinery. The family of the deceased has alleged that certain members of the initial SIT had direct connections to the prime accused, Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde. The Deshmukh family’s concerns about these connections, which have now forced a revamp of the SIT, raise grave questions about the impartiality and integrity of the probe.

These revelations have cast a long shadow over the Mahayuti government’s promise of good governance. For Devendra Fadnavis, the state’s Home Minister, this is an administrative debacle he can ill-afford at this stage.

Reforming the SIT at such a late stage undermines his credibility. Public confidence in investigative agencies hinges on their ability to function transparently and independently. The perception that the initial team was compromised adds to the suspicion that justice is being manipulated to shield influential figures.

The lack of substantial progress a month after the murder only exacerbates the disillusionment. The inquiry has thus far remained stagnant, with no significant breakthroughs to reassure an anxious public.

The optics could not be worse for Fadnavis, who has built his political career on a reputation for efficiency and incorruptibility. His image as a tough administrator is now at risk of crumbling under the weight of this scandal. Allowing an SIT with alleged conflicts of interest to take charge of such a high-profile case signal either gross negligence or complicity—neither of which inspires confidence in his leadership.

He now faces hard questions about whether he is willing or able to hold his government’s allies accountable. The Mahayuti must act decisively to salvage its reputation. The reconstituted SIT must operate with unflinching independence, free from political interference. Transparent communication about the progress of the investigation is imperative to restore public confidence. Fadnavis must make good his promise that those implicated in any wrongdoing face the full force of the law, regardless of their political affiliations.

In the battle for justice for Santosh Deshmukh, Maharashtra’s leaders are on trial as much as its institutions. The state’s response to this crisis will determine whether it emerges stronger or succumbs to the cynicism that has long plagued its politics. Justice delayed in this case will not just be justice denied—it will be democracy undone.