Nikam appointed as public prosecutor in 13/7 blasts case

The Maharashtra government has appointed special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam to represent it during the trial of 13/7 Mumbai triple blasts that claimed 27 lives and left several others wounded.

Nikam was also the public prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, in which, the only surviving terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Kasab was held guilty and sentenced to death.

Confirming his appointment, Nikam said, he would do his best in the trial court to ensure highest punishment to the accused in the case.

Nikam had also represented the government in the 1993 bomb blast case, the trial of which, lasted almost for 14 years, the murder trial of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan and the Gateway of India blast case in 2003.

In December 2010, Nikam had represented the Indian government in the world-wide convention on terrorism, held by the United Nations in New York.

The Maharashtra ATS has so far arrested four alleged operatives of home-grown terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, identified as Haroon Naik, hawala operator Kanwar Nain Wazeer Chand Patrija, Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed Sheikh and Nadeem Akhtar Ashfaq Sheikh in connection with the triple blasts.

The elite investigating agency is yet to file chargesheet in the case.