MUMBAI: Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam on Friday said he has accepted the responsibility of handling the Ketan Agarwal murder case in Maharashtra after a request from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the victim’s family.Speaking to news agency ANI in Mumbai, Nikam said that CM Fadnavis described the matter as a challenge for Maharashtra and requested him to take up the responsibility.“The entire nation has been shaken by this murder. This afternoon, I received a call from Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He informed me that the Agarwal family had met him and requested that I be appointed as the Special Public Prosecutor in this case. The Chief Minister told me that this poses a challenge for Maharashtra, and he, too, requested that I serve as the Special Public Prosecutor for the matter. I agreed,” Nikam told ANI.Nikam said Fadnavis has always emphasised the need for dedication in such matters and that the rule of law must be upheld in Maharashtra.“The police investigation is currently underway; we will only be able to disclose the status of the investigation once the charge sheet has been filed. This is a significant responsibility, as I have handled and continue to handle many such cases in the state of Maharashtra. The chief minister has always emphasised the need for us to work with utmost dedication. The rule of law must be upheld in Maharashtra, and with that sentiment in mind, I told the Chief Minister, “Yes, I will certainly look into this,” he said, as reported by ANI.Earlier in the day, Ketan’s father met Fadnavis in Pune and sought justice in the case. During the meeting, the chief minister assured the family that strict action would be taken against those accused and that no effort would be spared to ensure justice.The government has approved the demand for setting up a fast-track court and bringing Nikam on board as the Special Public Prosecutor in the case, ANI reported.Ketan died on June 18 after falling from Lohagad Fort near Pune. Police are investigating the case as a suspected murder. His fiancée Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary have been arrested and remain in police custody as the investigation continues.(With agency inputs)
