PUNE, Dec. 24 -- A special court in Beed district has framed charges in the high-profile murder case of former Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, paving the way for the trial to begin. Charges have been framed against all eight accused, including the prime accused Walmik Karad, a year after Deshmukh was kidnapped, tortured and then killed. Seven persons, including Karad, a close aide of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, have been arrested so far, while one accused is still absconding. The hearing on Tuesday was conducted before the District and Special Sessions Court in Beed, where special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam presented the prosecution's case. Nikam told the court that the murder arose from an attempted extortion racket allegedly resisted by Deshmukh, and that the investigation had revealed a planned and organised conspiracy behind the killing. Charges were framed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 103 (1) (murder), 140 (1) (kidnapping), 126 (1) (wrongful restraint), 324 (4) (mischief), 189 (2) (unlawful assembly), 191 (2) (rioting), 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy) and others; and also under sections of the MCOCA and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. After reading out the charges, the judge asked the accused whether they accepted the sequence of events as presented by the prosecution. All the accused, including Karad, pleaded "not guilty". Karad personally addressed the court to state that he did not accept the charges and sought permission to speak. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 8, 2026. Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Kej taluka of Beed district, was kidnapped and murdered on December 9, 2024. The incident triggered widespread protests and political scrutiny across Maharashtra, with allegations linking the murder to organised criminal activity and local power struggles. It also led to the eventual resignation of Munde as cabinet minister in March this year. Nikam, who was appointed as special public prosecutor by the Maharashtra government in view of the gravity of the case, reiterated that Deshmukh was killed for allegedly obstructing an extortion attempt. He alleged that defence lawyers continued to raise repetitive issues in court in an attempt to delay proceedings, and urged the court to ensure a swift trial. "The examination of evidence will now begin. The prosecution is making every effort to expedite the case," Nikam told the media later, adding that the evidence establishes both motive and the criminal conspiracy. The defence has challenged Nikam's appointment, alleging political bias. The court is expected to take up this plea in subsequent hearings....