NCP activist murder accused moves Bombay High Court against prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam

An accused in the murder of NCP activist Subhash Satpute has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the appointment of Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor in the case.

According to the petition filed by Deepak Tazanpure today, the appointment of Nikam as special public prosecutor is contrary to the Maharashtra Law Officers (Appointment and Conditions of Service and Remuneration) Rules as it was not sought by the original complainant.

"The notification appointing Nikam was done due to political interference and pressure from members of a political party in Nashik where the murder took place. There is no public interest in the case," the petitioner's lawyer Uday Warunjikar told the court.

The petition has sought the court to quash the notification of October 19 appointing Nikam as special public prosecutor in the case.

"The notification is arbitrary as both the deputy commissioner of police (crime) Nashik and the Directorate of Prosecution of the government made recommendations that there was no necessity to appoint a special prosecutor in the case," Warunjikar said.

However, despite these recommendations, the commissioner of police requested the additional chief secretary (home) of the government to appoint Nikam as special prosecutor following which the notification was issued, the petition claims.

A division bench of Justice SJ Kathawala and Justice AM Thipsay has posted the matter for hearing on November 9 and asked the prosecution to not start trial in the case till then.

When contacted, Nikam refused to comment.

Apart from Tazanpure, five others including former Nashik municipal corporator Ambadas Tazanpure were arrested for the murder of Satpute.

According to the prosecution, the motive behind the murder was political rivalry.