Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, July 22: The special MCOCA court on Tuesday rejected the discharge application filed by prime accused Walmik Karad and posted the next hearing in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's murder case to August 4.
Karad's lawyer stated the rejection of the discharge application is likely to be challenged in the high court. "Karad also filed a bail application which will be opposed by the state," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters.
He said a draft charge was also filed before the court in Beed in the murder case. A draft charge in court is a formal document that outlines the specific accusations against an individual in a criminal case.
"The court rejected Karad's discharge application, following which Vishnu Chate and other accused also filed similar applications. The court will decide on the draft charge and discharge applications of other accused on August 4. It seems a deliberate strategy to waste the court's time and delay proceedings," Nikam said.
Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and tortured to death on December 9 last year, allegedly for attempting to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy company.
Eight persons, including Karad, have been arrested so far and booked under the stringent MCOCA. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a chargesheet running into more than 1,200 pages in the murder case and two related offences in the court.
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