A GRAM Panchayat Member and BJP leader was murdered by goons for complaining against land mafia at Pipla Dak bungalow under the limitsofKhaparkheda police station on Tuesday. The brutal murder of a 30-year-oldGram Panchayat member has shocked the residentsofSaoner tehsil.The victim, Atul Patil, a BJP member and active whistleblower against land scams, was stabbed to death in his house around 2.30 am on Monday night. According to police, the attack was carried out by H i manshu Kumbhalkar, who allegedly murdered Atul on the orders of Vishnu Kokadde, the husband of former Zilla Parishad President Mukta Kokaddeandaformer Sarpanch himself. Both accused have been arrestedbyKhaparkheda Police.

 

Himanshu was taken into custody soon after the incident andVishnu Kokadde was arrested on Tuesday morning. The duo was produced before Saoner court on Tuesday afternoon. The court has remanded HimanshuKumbhalkar topolice custody till June 21 and Vishnu Kokadde till June 19 for further investigation. Asperpoliceofficials,AtulPatil had filed severalcomplaints and exposed illegal land development schemes led by Vishnu Kokadde during his tenure as Sarpanch. Using the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Atul had gathered proof of layouts developed using fake documents.His complaint had led to the registration of a police case against Kokadde, the Gram Panchayat secretaryandtwoothers.Sources say that Vishnu Kokadde misused his and his wife’s political positions to illegally issue NOCs (No Objection Certificates) for several land plots.

 

These plots were later developed into layoutswhichhelpshim earncrores ofrupeeswithina fewyears.Atul’s efforts to expose this scam hadmade him a target. The situation worsened due to a personal dispute betweenAtulandHimanshuKumbhalkar. Himanshuisreportedlyinvolvedin the sand theft business andsuspected Atul of informing police, which led to the seizureof his vehicles. Recently, bothhad a money-related argument. Police believe that VishnuKokadde used this existing conflict to his advantage and influencedHimanshu tomurderAtul. Further investigations are ongoing, and police are examining therolesofotherswhomay have been involved in the conspiracy. Security has beenincreased in the area to prevent any unrest. Following the murder, BJP MLA Dr AshishDeshmukh launched rasta roko, demanding fast-trackhearing of the case.