Pune: The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) has made significant progress in the Beed Massajog Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case by tracing the last known location of prime accused Valmik Karad to Pune. The investigation reveals that Karad's mobile phone was last active on December 17 in Pune, after which he turned it off and went into hiding.

Valmik Karad, accused of involvement in the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, was reportedly residing in Pune before absconding. The CID has intensified its operations, with officials believing Karad might surrender within the next 24 hours. The authorities have frozen Karad’s bank accounts, leaving him with limited options.

The investigation has mobilized nine CID teams in Beed, with over 150 officers and personnel actively working on the case. To date, more than 100 individuals have been interrogated in connection with the crime.

As part of the probe, CID officials are questioning a woman associated with Karad. Evidence against the accused continues to mount, with fingerprints found on the vehicle used in Deshmukh's abduction. Additionally, mobile phones recovered from the vehicle have been sent for forensic analysis.

Under directives from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the bank accounts of four fugitives in the case were frozen today. The CID has also filed petitions in court to seize the properties of the absconding accused. So far, none of the suspects have sought anticipatory bail.

Efforts to prevent the accused from fleeing abroad have also been successful. Only one of the fugitives held a passport, and this individual is already in custody. Valmik Karad, the most prominent suspect, lacks a passport due to his criminal record, ensuring that he cannot leave the country through official means.