Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Why a Defence Lawyer Filed INR 10 Crore Defamation Notice Against Accused Siya Goyal's Brother
A legal dispute has emerged over who represents 20-year-old murder accused Siya Goyal in the Ketan Agarwal murder case. Advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava filed an INR 10 crore defamation notice against her brother for denying his hiring, claiming she signed authorisation papers. Meanwhile, Advocate Vipul Dushing asserts the family hired him, adding confusion to the case.
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Confusion over legal representation has deepened in the high-profile Ketan Agarwal murder case against 20-year-old Siya Goyal, with two prominent defence lawyers now publicly claiming to represent her. The jurisdictional dispute escalated significantly after Advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava issued an INR 10 crore defamation notice to the accused’s brother, Sahil Goyal, over public statements challenging his appointment.
Defamation Notice and Conflicting Claims
The legal notice stems from a media statement made by Sahil Goyal on June 29, in which he claimed that the Goyal family had never engaged Advocate Srivastava's services. Srivastava alleges that the statement is false, misleading, and has caused severe professional disrepute to his practice. Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Accused Siya Goyal's Mother Reveals Reason Why Her Daughter Did Not Clear Class 12 Examinations.
According to Srivastava, Siya Goyal formally executed vakalatnamas (documents authorising a lawyer to represent a client) on June 25, appointing him and his associates to manage her defence before both the local magistrate court and the Bombay High Court. He asserted that these authorisation documents have already been accepted and placed on the official record of the respective courts. Conversely, Advocate Vipul Dushing maintains that he is the rightful legal counsel, stating he was directly hired by the Goyal family. Dushing reported that during a remand hearing on June 29, the accused explicitly told the magistrate that she had only engaged his legal services, fueling the public tussle over who speaks for her defence.
Defence Counsel Rebounds with Video Statement
Addressing the controversy via a video statement to media persons, Advocate Srivastava defended his mandate and fiercely criticised the family’s public intervention. "We have heard a statement where he is lying and trying to mislead people. As far as the accused Siya Goyal is concerned, she has signed and authorized all the documents and that document has also been filed in the court," Srivastava stated. He further clarified that his team has maintained zero direct contact with the brother, noting there have been no phone calls or email exchanges. “His irresponsible statement is defamatory and wrong. It is a wrong attack on legal fraternity,” Srivastava added. “As far as Siya Goyal is concerned, she is a major. She has every right to appoint a lawyer.” Srivastava has demanded an immediate public apology and a formal clarification from Sahil Goyal. How Siya Goyal Signalled Chetan Chaudhary To Push Ketan Agarwal off Lohagad Fort.
Case Background and Ongoing Investigation
The underlying criminal case involves the alleged premeditated murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal, 25, who died on June 18 after falling into a deep gorge at the historic Lohagad Fort near Lonavala. While the ownership remains contested, remand proceedings are actively moving forward under the Lonavala Rural Police at the magistrate's court in Wadgaon Mawal, Pune. Investigators initially registered an accidental death report based on claims that Agarwal slipped while posing for photos, but later upgraded the case to murder and criminal conspiracy after uncovering data indicating a calculated plot involving Goyal and a co-accused.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 30, 2026 02:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
