Badlapur case: As MVA opposes his appointment as special public prosecutor, Ujwal Nikam denies conflict of interest

Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said Ujwal Nikam had contested elections on a BJP ticket and the Badlapur school management allegedly had links with the party.

Nikam had contested the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate from the Mumbai North Central constituency and lost. (File)

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra has opposed the state government’s decision to appoint Ujwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in the Badlapur school case where two four-year-old girls were allegedly sexually abused by a cleaning staff member, saying that he was a BJP member and the school management reportedly had links with the party.

Nikam, however, said his party and his profession were separate. “The chief minister has announced my appointment in the Badlapur case. The government said that it wants to fast-track the case to secure justice for the victims,” Nikam told The Indian Express.

Also read | Badlapur sexual abuse case: police file 4 FIRs against 500 protesters, arrest 66; internet suspended

Nikam had contested the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate from the Mumbai North Central constituency and lost.

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“The school belongs to a particular party and Nikam also belongs to that party. How can he ensure justice in this case?” asked Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar.

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut also opposed Nikam’s appointment as SPP. “Nikam fought elections on a BJP ticket. He is not an independent lawyer now. He cannot be expected to argue against an institute run by BJP people,” Raut said.

Also read | Badlapur incident stirs political storm in poll-bound Maharashtra

Asked about the opposition to his appointment, Nikam reminded both parties about the 1993 Sanjay Dutt arms possession case. “I was the public prosecutor in the Sanjay Dutt arms case. At that time, there was a Congress government at the Centre and the state. The government had appointed me. The Congress seems to have forgotten about (my) impeccable record….,” he said.

“The Shiv Sainiks are also well aware of what all happened in the Sanjay Dutt case. In the 1993 blasts case I was handling, Sena chief Bal Thackeray used to call me for discussions…He used to appreciate my handling of the case. He was fond of my professional skills and praised me several times,” Nikam said, adding that he does not want to go into the details of the case.

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