Siya Goyal is accused of murdering her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, with the alleged assistance of her purported lover, Chetan Chaudhary. According to investigators, Ketan was allegedly pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18, in what police believe was a premeditated murder disguised as an accident.
Advocate Sends ₹10 Crore Defamation Notice
The legal dispute began after Sahil Goyal publicly denied that advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava had been appointed by the family to represent Siya. In response, Srivastava issued a ₹10 crore defamation notice, alleging that Sahil's statements were false, misleading, and damaging to his professional reputation.
Speaking to PTI, Srivastava asserted that Siya Goyal herself had legally authorized him to represent her and had completed all the required legal formalities.
"We have sent a ₹10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal because he is making completely false statements and attempting to mislead the public. Siya Goyal has duly signed and authorized all the necessary legal documents, including the Vakalatnama, which has already been filed before the court. She has also granted us authority to represent her before the High Court, and we will continue handling those proceedings," he said.
Srivastava further clarified that neither he nor his legal team had any communication with Sahil Goyal.
"We have absolutely nothing to do with Sahil Goyal. We have never spoken to him, exchanged emails, or communicated in any manner. His statement is irresponsible, defamatory, and amounts to an attack on the legal fraternity. As an accused, Siya Goyal has every legal right to appoint a lawyer of her choice. If she wishes to change her legal counsel, there is a prescribed legal procedure that requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Sahil Goyal has no authority to issue such statements, and he should apologize," he added.
Confusion Over Siya Goyal's Legal Representation
The controversy surfaced after Aashuutosh Srivastava appeared before the media claiming to represent Siya Goyal and questioned the evidentiary value of her alleged confession made while in police custody.
However, within a day, advocate Vipul Dushing also announced that he and his legal team were representing Siya Goyal, leading to confusion over who had been officially engaged by the accused.
The competing claims have raised questions about Siya Goyal's legal representation as the high-profile murder investigation continues.
Sahil Goyal Denies Hiring Srivastava
Rejecting Srivastava's claims, Siya Goyal's brother, Sahil Goyal, maintained that neither he nor the family had appointed the advocate.
"We have never hired Advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava, and he is not someone our family has engaged. I have no idea what he is claiming," Sahil Goyal told ANI.
His statement directly contradicts Srivastava's assertion that Siya herself had authorized his representation through valid legal documents.
Police Continue Probe into Ketan Agarwal's Death
Meanwhile, Pune Rural Police continue to investigate the alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal.
On Monday, investigators took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to recreate the events surrounding Ketan's death. During the reconstruction, police claimed Siya demonstrated how she allegedly signaled co-accused Chetan Chaudhary by sitting down, pretending either to drink water or tie her shoelaces, before Chaudhary allegedly pushed Ketan off the cliff.
Investigators also claim the accused had previously visited the fort to identify a suitable location for the crime and may have conducted a rehearsal before the incident. Police are currently verifying where the alleged practice session took place as part of the ongoing investigation.
As the murder probe progresses, the dispute over Siya Goyal's legal representation has added another layer of complexity to an already closely watched case.
