MCOCA Court Adjourns Massajog Sarpanch Murder Case to February 7 Amid Evidence Delays
The special MCOCA court in Beed concluded Friday's hearing in the high-profile kidnapping and murder case of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, scheduling the next proceeding for February 7. The session, however, once again underscored significant delays in the judicial process, with crucial digital evidence yet to be handed over to the defence team.
Defence Hampered by Missing Digital Evidence
During the hearing, lawyers representing the accused informed the court that data extracted from a laptop seized by investigating agencies—a key piece of evidence in this case—has still not been provided to them. The defence argued emphatically that the absence of these data copies severely hampers their ability to prepare an effective and robust defence strategy.
This critical issue has been raised repeatedly over the last three hearings, yet the data remains unfurnished, highlighting persistent procedural bottlenecks.
Prosecution Cites Technical Hurdles
In response to the defence's objections, the prosecution told the court that extracting and compiling the complete data from the seized laptop would require a minimum of 15 days. Given this submission, the court refrained from passing any immediate order on the matter, effectively allowing the delay to continue.
Jail Transfer Plea Arguments Heard
The court also heard arguments on an application filed by accused Vishnu Chate, one of the prime accused in the case, regarding his claims about incarceration in Beed jail. The prosecution maintained that the authority to decide the transfer of an accused from one jail to another lies solely with the jail administration, asserting that the court does not have direct jurisdiction to intervene in such administrative matters.
The court is likely to decide on this jail transfer plea during the next hearing. Notably, an earlier application filed by Chate on similar grounds has already been rejected by the court, indicating a consistent judicial stance on this administrative issue.
This case continues to draw attention due to its serious nature and the ongoing challenges in evidence disclosure, reflecting broader concerns about judicial efficiency in complex criminal proceedings under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
