Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has appointed renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
Deshmukh’s family members had made a similar demand.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government has appointed senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor and advocate Balasaheb Kolhe as the assistant special public prosecutor in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
Nikam had acted as a special public prosecutor in some high-profile cases such as the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and the 26/11 terror attack.
Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted and murdered on December 9, 2024. It was alleged that he was killed for opposing an attempt to extort money from a wind energy firm operating in the area.
Walmik Karad, a close aide of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, was arrested in the extortion case weeks after the murder.
The state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is currently conducting a probe into the case, with over 150 persons having been questioned and three suspects still at large.
The Beed police have arrested several persons in the murder case and also put up posters, seeking public help to nab the wanted accused.
The case is registered at Kaij police station in Beed district.
BJP MLA Suresh Dhas had earlier met Fadnavis to urge that Nikam be appointed to strengthen the prosecution’s case.
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