New Delhi, February 11 Accused of multiple murders, gangster Vijay Palande moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging the appointment of lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor (SPP) in his case.
In his plea, Palande argued that Nikam cannot continue as SPP due to his nomination as a member of the Rajya Sabha, which would constitute holding an "office of profit".
Nikam contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate from the Mumbai North Central constituency. He lost to Congress' Varsha Gaikwad by more than 16,000 votes.
A Mumbai court had rejected Palande's application to remove Nikam from the case on February 5.
"The fresh appointment of Nikam by the BJP-led government in the state is based on extraneous considerations, made with mala fide intentions to promote Nikam and to campaign through him. Nikam's identity, views, agenda, intention, and motive have completely changed in the public eye, as now he is a favoured leader of the BJP," Palande stated in his plea.
"He will now act according to the agenda of the political party. He may go to any extent to secure false convictions in high-profile cases, to promote the image of the BJP through him, which is against the fundamental rights of the accused," the plea said.
Palande has been in judicial custody since April 2012, following his arrest for allegedly murdering Delhi businessman Arun Tikku and film producer Karankumar Kakkad.
