Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Friday appointed Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, news agency IANS reported.
Nikam had earlier served as the government prosecutor in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the 1993 Bombay serial bomb blasts cases, securing stringent punishment for the convicts.
The announcement came after Agarwal’s father Vishal met Fadnavis in Pune and sought justice for his son, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Fadnavis accepted the family’s demand to have the case heard in a fast-track court and approved the appointment of Nikam as the special public prosecutor.
CM Fadnavis directed the secretary of the law and judiciary department to initiate the necessary process for the appointment. Nikam has also conveyed his consent to appear as the special public prosecutor in the case, the statement said.
During the meeting, Fadnavis assured the family that the state government would ensure strict punishment for those responsible and spare no effort in securing justice. Fadnavis expressed shock over the alleged murder and said that the society must consider what kind of environment needs to be created so that such cruel thoughts do not develop in children.
“Something beyond imagination”: Maharashtra CM expresses shock over Ketan Agrawal’s murder
Speaking to reporters on the incident, Fadnavis said, “This is an extremely shocking incident, something beyond imagination. It is the kind of incident that compels us, as a society, to seriously reflect. Why do children from educated and well-settled families develop such malicious and destructive thinking? What are the reasons behind this mindset? We need to think deeply about it.”
Ketan Agarwal was allegedly pushed to death from Lohagad Fort in Maval taluka of Pune district on June 18 by his fiancee, Siya Goyal (20), and her alleged lover, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary.
According to the police, Agarwal and Goyal were scheduled to get married in November. However, Goyal allegedly was under family pressure and did not want to go ahead with the marriage. She, along with Chaudhary, allegedly hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Agarwal.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to the case, Fadnavis assured Agarwal’s father that every effort would be made to ensure justice and that the accused receive stringent punishment, the CMO statement added.
(With IANS and ANI inputs)
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