The Maharashtra government has appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in the murder case of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that the state's Law and Justice Department has issued an official notification regarding this appointment.
As per the notification, advocate Ujjwal Nikam will serve as the special public prosecutor, while advocate Balasaheb Kolhe has been appointed as the assistant special public prosecutor. There had been ongoing demands for over a month to appoint Nikam to this high-profile case.
Meanwhile, residents of Massajog village have been on a hunger strike since February 25, demanding the immediate arrest of Krishna Andhale, the seventh accused in the murder case. They also called for Ujjwal Nikam’s appointment as the public prosecutor, among other demands. So far, the state’s Home Minister has agreed to only one of their demands—the appointment of Ujjwal Nikam.
Reactions to the Appointment
Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of the late Santosh Deshmukh and one of the protest leaders, welcomed the appointment, stating, “The SIT and CID teams investigating the case will benefit from Nikam’s expertise. If there are any gaps in the case, Nikam can help bridge them. He will play a crucial role when the affidavit is submitted.”
BJP MLA Suresh Dhas expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for approving the appointment. “Fadnavis has been supportive from the beginning. After my request, he approved Nikam’s appointment. I also thank Ujjwal Nikam for accepting this case. I now hope that the accused will face the strictest punishment,” Dhas said.
Social activist Anjali Damania also weighed in, criticizing the government for its delayed response. “The villagers and Deshmukh’s family had to go on a hunger strike just to secure this appointment. This is unfortunate. These decisions should have been made promptly. It took months to form an SIT and hand over the investigation to the CID. Justice should be the same for everyone,” she stated.
