CID announces Rs 1 lakh reward to arrest Massajog sarpanch murder accused Andhale

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Crime Investigation Department has announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Krishna Andhale, an accused in the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Andhale has been absconding for the past 14 months.The special investigation team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department (CID), led by deputy superintendent of police Anil Gujar, obtained a standing warrant against Andhale as part of the probe. "If the accused neither surrenders nor is arrested, the CID will soon move an application to declare him to be absconding. Once that is done, it will be followed by steps to seize his movable and immovable assets," said the officer part of the SIT.The move came after a court recently sought an update from the CID on Andhale's prolonged absconding status in the high-profile murder case. Following the court's query, the CID intensified efforts to trace the accused.Officials said Andhale went on the run after the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Despite multiple attempts to locate him, he evaded arrest for over a year, prompting the investigating agency to announce a monetary incentive."The CID has declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone providing credible information about the whereabouts of Krishna Andhale. The identity of the informant will be kept strictly confidential," said an official citing a pamphlet issued by the CID's SIT.To widen the search, the CID issued public notices in Marathi and Kannada, appealing to people to share information that could help apprehend Andhale. Officials indicated the multilingual circulars have been released, considering the possibility that the accused moved across state borders or hid in regions with Kannada-speaking populations.Sources said the CID explored multiple leads and stepped up surveillance and intelligence gathering following the court's intervention. Teams were instructed to coordinate with neighbouring districts and states to track Andhale's movements.The murder of Santosh Deshmukh had sparked concern in the area, with villagers demanding swift action against those involved. While other accused in the case were traced, Andhale remained absconding.With the reward announcement and renewed push by the CID, officials hoped fresh inputs from the public could lead to Andhale's arrest.