Pune, Apr 17 (PTI) Suspended Beed police sub inspector Ranjit Kasle on Thursday reiterated that he was offered a contract to eliminate Walmik Karad, key accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh case, in an encounter.

He was speaking to reporters outside Pune airport after reaching here from Delhi.

Deshmukh, the 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.

Karad is among the eight persons arrested so far and booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

When asked if he had evidence to back his claim, Kasle said those who make such offers do so behind closed doors and ensure no trail is left behind.

He also said he rejected the offer because the law must punish Karad if the latter is guilty in the case.

The suspended policeman also claimed he was “kidnapped and taken to Barshi in Kolhapur” and that his duty schedule was “changed on polling day”.

He claimed Rs 10 lakh was transferred into his account from a company linked to a former minister.

Kasle is under suspension and a preliminary enquiry (PE) is underway against him. A case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has also been registered against Kasle for allegedly posting an objectionable comment on social media on April 2.

Police officials have time and again rubbished Kasle’s allegations. PTI SPK BNM