From the 1993 Mumbai blasts to the 26/11 attacks trial, Ujjwal Nikam has spent decades representing the state in cases that tested India's criminal justice system.

Ujjwal Deorao Nikam’s name is difficult to separate from some of the most closely watched criminal cases in India. A lawyer from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon, Nikam spent decades as a public prosecutor handling cases involving terrorism, murder and other serious crimes. His career brought him into courtrooms where the stakes were unusually high, and where legal arguments had consequences far beyond the people directly involved in a trial.

His most widely recognised assignment came after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Nikam served as the Special Public Prosecutor in the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker captured during the attacks. The prosecution dealt with a case involving extensive evidence, multiple charges and enormous public attention. Kasab was convicted and later executed in 2012 after the legal process, including appeals, had run its course.

A Career Built Before 26/11

The 26/11 trial was not where Nikam’s association with major criminal cases began. In 1993, he was appointed as Public Prosecutor for the Mumbai serial blasts case. Over the years, he also handled cases connected to the murder of music executive Gulshan Kumar and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, among others. He later served as Special Public Prosecutor in cases including the 2013 Mumbai gang rape case and the 2016 Kopardi rape and murder case.

These cases placed Nikam repeatedly in situations where the prosecution had to work through complicated evidence, multiple accused and intense public scrutiny. His professional identity was consequently shaped not by one courtroom appearance, but by a long succession of difficult cases.

The 26/11 Trial Changed His Public Image

The Mumbai attacks trial made Nikam a nationally recognisable figure. For months, he represented the state in proceedings that were being closely followed across the country. His courtroom arguments and frequent interaction with the media also made him a highly visible public prosecutor, something relatively unusual for a lawyer whose work primarily happens inside courtrooms.

In 2016, Nikam was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to public service through the legal system.

From Courtroom to Public Life

Nikam’s professional journey later moved beyond prosecution. In 2024, he resigned as Special Public Prosecutor from 29 pending cases after entering electoral politics. He subsequently contested the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency.

In July 2025, President Droupadi Murmu nominated him to the Rajya Sabha, representing the field of law. He formally became a member of the Upper House on July 24, 2025.

His transition from prosecutor to public representative marks a different chapter in a career that had largely been defined by courtrooms and criminal trials. It also means that the lawyer once known primarily for arguing cases now participates in India's legislative process.

A Story Now Returning to the Screen

In October 2026, Nikam’s life and legal career have again entered public conversation through Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story, a biographical film starring Rajkummar Rao. The film is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.

Interestingly, Nikam has said that he agreed to the film on the condition that there should be no glorification of any character, including himself, and that real names should be used where appropriate. His stated concern was that the story should retain authenticity rather than turn the people involved into larger-than-life fictional figures.

For someone whose professional life has been spent arguing facts before courts, that distinction is significant. Much of Nikam’s public identity was built around cases where the details mattered, evidence mattered and the law had to take its course. His story, therefore, is less about a single famous trial and more about a long career spent representing the prosecution in some of India's most consequential criminal cases.

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