An issue of which lawyer was representing the murder suspect Siya Goyal in court has become an additional complication in the Ketan Agarwal murder case. This new complication has risen following advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava filing an Rs 10 crore defamation case against the brother of Siya, Sahil Goyal. The new complications arose due to conflicting claims regarding the lawyer representing Siya Goyal in the Ketan Agarwal murder case investigation.
Ketan Agarwal is a case concerning the murder of the fiance of Siya in Lohagad Fort in Pune on 18th June. The case is about Siya and her boyfriend who pushed Ketan from a high cliff causing him to die.
How the Ketan Agarwal case triggered a dispute over Siya Goyal’s legal representation
Pune-based advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava has maintained that Siya authorised him to appear in the Ketan Agarwal case through a signed vakalatnama. However, Sahil Goyal rejected the claim, saying the family had engaged advocate Vipul Dushing to defend his sister.
As per NDTV, both lawyers claimed they were Siya’s legal representative. The dispute intensified during a hearing before the Vadagaon Maval court, where Siya reportedly told the court, “Aashuutosh Srivastava is not my lawyer. Vipul Dushing is representing me.”
Why the Ketan Agarwal case has now led to a Rs 10 crore defamation notice
Reports say that following those developments, Srivastava issued a 10-page legal notice to Sahil Goyal, demanding Rs 10 crore in damages. He also sought the immediate withdrawal of what he described as “false, frivolous, derogatory, disparaging, distorted, slanderous, malicious, malevolent and defamatory media statement along with public apology.”
The notice states that any public claim suggesting he acted without authority or appointment is “per se defamatory and causes direct professional injury.” Srivastava further claimed that Siya Goyal, being an adult, “duly executed and signed” the vakalatnama in his favour. “The said appointment was not an oral claim, not a media projection and not an unauthorised assertion, but a legal authority voluntarily given by an adult accused/client,” he said.
What investigators are focusing on in the Ketan Agarwal murder probe
As per reports, Srivastava also alleged that Sahil’s statements caused “quantified and unquantified losses, including loss of professional goodwill, mental trauma, reputational injury, loss of confidence among existing/prospective clients, and increased personal risk due to the hostile atmosphere created by the media narrative.” He has asked Sahil to remove the statements and related videos from YouTube, social media platforms, WhatsApp groups and news portals, pay Rs 10 crore within seven days, issue an unconditional written apology and public retraction within 48 hours, and provide a written assurance that such statements will not be repeated.
Meanwhile, the court has extended the police custody of Siya and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary by five days in the Ketan Agarwal murder investigation. Police told the court they need to recreate the crime scene, recover the remains of Ketan’s allegedly burnt passport, trace Chetan’s movements after he changed clothes following the murder, and verify the phone conversations the two accused allegedly had after the incident.
Also Read: Why Did AAP And DMK Back INDIA Bloc’s Letter To CJI? Here’s The Issue
Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
