A dispute over legal representation has added a fresh twist to the investigation into the alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal, with advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava issuing a ₹10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal, the brother of accused Siya Goyal. The notice follows competing claims over who is officially representing Siya, who has been accused of murdering her fiancé with the help of her alleged lover. The matter has intensified public attention on the high-profile case, which is already under police investigation.
Siya Goyal has been accused of killing her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, with the alleged assistance of Chetan Chaudhary. According to investigators, Agarwal was allegedly pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18, resulting in his death. Police are probing the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the alleged involvement of the two accused and the evidence collected during the investigation. The case has attracted widespread attention because of the nature of the allegations and the developments that have followed.
The latest controversy began after advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava appeared publicly, claiming to represent Siya Goyal and questioning the evidentiary value of her alleged confession made while she was in police custody. Srivastava argued that statements made before the police do not, by themselves, constitute conclusive evidence under law and suggested that the prosecution's case would ultimately have to rely on corroborative material presented before the court.
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However, confusion arose shortly afterwards when advocate Vipul Dushing announced that he and his legal team had been officially engaged to represent Siya in the case. The conflicting claims over her legal representation prompted Sahil Goyal, Siya's brother, to publicly state that the family had not appointed Aashuutosh Srivastava as her lawyer. His statement raised questions about Srivastava's authority to speak on behalf of the accused and fuelled speculation over who was actually handling her legal defence.
In response, Srivastava served Sahil Goyal with a legal notice seeking ₹10 crore in damages for alleged defamation. The advocate contended that the statements questioning his role had harmed his professional reputation and standing. The notice marks a separate legal battle unfolding alongside the criminal investigation into Ketan Agarwal's death, further complicating an already closely watched case.
While the dispute over legal representation continues, the police investigation into the alleged murder remains underway. Authorities are examining the evidence surrounding the death at Lohagad Fort and the alleged roles of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary. The questions over who officially represents the accused are expected to be clarified through court proceedings, even as investigators continue to build their case in one of the most closely followed criminal investigations in recent weeks.
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