The trial of the gangrape and murder of a woman in Shilphata area would be expedited through a fast-track court and renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam would be appointed as a special prosecutor in the case, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed on Saturday.

The chief minister also asked police to file a charge sheet in the court at the earliest, a statement from his office said. Shinde instructed the Thane police commissioner and principal secretary of the home department to ensure that the case was handled with utmost seriousness and urgency, it said.