In a post on X on Wednesday, Maharashtra 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
Ujjwal Nikam. File Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
The Maharashtra government has appointed renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
ADVERTISEMENT
Deshmukh's family members had made a similar demand.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Maharashtra 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 Beed sarpanch murder case and also put up posters, seeking public help to nab the wanted accused.
The Beed sarpanch murder 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.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has vowed to take action against those responsible for the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Masajog village in Beed district.
"The Chief Minister is constantly paying attention to this. The Chief Minister has been saying from the beginning that whoever is guilty, action will be taken. His family is worried because it has been a month. The investigation is being done through a judge. This is a brutal murder, no matter who it is, action will be taken. This is the state of Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar. This is an act that shames humanity. Whoever is the accused, he will not be killed...Law and order should be maintained...," Pawar told reporters.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
