Not our lawyer, threatening us: Siya Goyal's brother adds twist to murder probe
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Sahil said neither he nor his family had authorised lawyer Aashutosh Srivastava to represent them in the case. He further alleged that Srivastava may have obtained Siya's signature "by deceit", though he did not elaborate on the circumstances.
A row over legal representation broke out in the murder case of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal on Monday after Sahil Goyal, brother of accused Siya Goyal, accused advocate Aashutosh Srivastava of falsely claiming to represent the family. He alleged that Srivastava was neither authorised nor appointed to appear for Siya and may have obtained her signature "by deceit". His remarks came after Srivastava made multiple media appearances claiming to represent Siya and her family.
However, Siya's brother Sahil denied hiring him as a lawyer and said that the family had chosen Vipul Dushing to represent them. Sahil also said the family has filed an affidavit in court over the matter and accused Srivastava of issuing threats.
Meanwhile, speaking to India Today, Sahil confirmed that he, too, was supposed to go on the Bali trip that had to be cancelled after Ketan's passport went missing. "Yes. But it was cancelled because of the passport," he said.
Police allege the missing passport was a key part of the alleged murder conspiracy. According to investigators, Siya had hidden Ketan's passport before the couple's scheduled June 6 trip to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot, forcing its cancellation. Investigators believe the passport's disappearance was not an isolated act but part of a larger plot that culminated in Ketan's death at Lohagad Fort on June 18.
When asked whether he had spoken to his sister after her arrest, Sahil declined to comment, saying, "No, sir. Whatever else there is, the police will tell you in court. Thank you."
Siya, 20, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, have been arrested for conspiring to murder Ketan by pushing him off Lohagad Fort in Pune district. Police claim Siya did not want to marry Ketan and conspired with Chaudhary to kill him because she believed calling off the wedding would bring disrepute to her family.
MISSING PASSPORT UNDER SCANNER
According to the investigation, Ketan and Siya, who got engaged in February, were to travel to Bali along with two others for a pre-wedding photoshoot. However, after reaching Mumbai Airport, Ketan discovered that his passport was missing, forcing the trip to be cancelled. Police allege Siya had stolen and destroyed the passport as part of a wider plan to prevent the foreign trip.
The passport episode has gained further significance after the couple's cab driver, Vaibhav Jadhav, claimed Siya asked him to stop on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, opened the vehicle's boot and removed an unidentified item from her purse shortly before they reached the airport.
Jadhav also claimed he was later asked to search the cab after Ketan realised his passport was missing. Despite multiple searches, including by Ketan and Sahil, the passport could not be found.
POLICE RECREATE CRIME SCENE
On Sunday, Pune Rural Police took Siya to Lohagad Fort to reconstruct the alleged crime scene. Using a dummy, investigators asked her to demonstrate how Ketan was allegedly pushed off the fort. She also retraced the route allegedly taken to the spot. Police said Chaudhary would be taken to the fort separately for a similar reconstruction.
Investigators are examining the planning of the alleged crime, the movements of the accused before and after the incident, their digital footprint and the motive behind the killing. Police have also claimed the two accused deleted chat records from their mobile phones before June 18 and after the incident in an alleged attempt to destroy evidence.
SIYA'S FAMILY QUESTIONED
As part of the investigation, police have questioned Siya's parents, Pravin and Puja Goyal, as well as Sahil. Her parents were questioned for nearly 12 hours on Saturday, while Sahil was interrogated for more than 10 hours a day earlier.
Meanwhile, residents of the housing society in Gahunje where the Agarwal family lives held a candlelight march demanding justice for Ketan. His father, Vishal Agarwal, appealed to anyone present at Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident to come forward and assist the investigation, saying the family would continue fighting until justice was served.
A row over legal representation broke out in the murder case of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal on Monday after Sahil Goyal, brother of accused Siya Goyal, accused advocate Aashutosh Srivastava of falsely claiming to represent the family. He alleged that Srivastava was neither authorised nor appointed to appear for Siya and may have obtained her signature "by deceit". His remarks came after Srivastava made multiple media appearances claiming to represent Siya and her family.
However, Siya's brother Sahil denied hiring him as a lawyer and said that the family had chosen Vipul Dushing to represent them. Sahil also said the family has filed an affidavit in court over the matter and accused Srivastava of issuing threats.
Meanwhile, speaking to India Today, Sahil confirmed that he, too, was supposed to go on the Bali trip that had to be cancelled after Ketan's passport went missing. "Yes. But it was cancelled because of the passport," he said.
Police allege the missing passport was a key part of the alleged murder conspiracy. According to investigators, Siya had hidden Ketan's passport before the couple's scheduled June 6 trip to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot, forcing its cancellation. Investigators believe the passport's disappearance was not an isolated act but part of a larger plot that culminated in Ketan's death at Lohagad Fort on June 18.
When asked whether he had spoken to his sister after her arrest, Sahil declined to comment, saying, "No, sir. Whatever else there is, the police will tell you in court. Thank you."
Siya, 20, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, have been arrested for conspiring to murder Ketan by pushing him off Lohagad Fort in Pune district. Police claim Siya did not want to marry Ketan and conspired with Chaudhary to kill him because she believed calling off the wedding would bring disrepute to her family.
MISSING PASSPORT UNDER SCANNER
According to the investigation, Ketan and Siya, who got engaged in February, were to travel to Bali along with two others for a pre-wedding photoshoot. However, after reaching Mumbai Airport, Ketan discovered that his passport was missing, forcing the trip to be cancelled. Police allege Siya had stolen and destroyed the passport as part of a wider plan to prevent the foreign trip.
The passport episode has gained further significance after the couple's cab driver, Vaibhav Jadhav, claimed Siya asked him to stop on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, opened the vehicle's boot and removed an unidentified item from her purse shortly before they reached the airport.
Jadhav also claimed he was later asked to search the cab after Ketan realised his passport was missing. Despite multiple searches, including by Ketan and Sahil, the passport could not be found.
POLICE RECREATE CRIME SCENE
On Sunday, Pune Rural Police took Siya to Lohagad Fort to reconstruct the alleged crime scene. Using a dummy, investigators asked her to demonstrate how Ketan was allegedly pushed off the fort. She also retraced the route allegedly taken to the spot. Police said Chaudhary would be taken to the fort separately for a similar reconstruction.
Investigators are examining the planning of the alleged crime, the movements of the accused before and after the incident, their digital footprint and the motive behind the killing. Police have also claimed the two accused deleted chat records from their mobile phones before June 18 and after the incident in an alleged attempt to destroy evidence.
SIYA'S FAMILY QUESTIONED
As part of the investigation, police have questioned Siya's parents, Pravin and Puja Goyal, as well as Sahil. Her parents were questioned for nearly 12 hours on Saturday, while Sahil was interrogated for more than 10 hours a day earlier.
Meanwhile, residents of the housing society in Gahunje where the Agarwal family lives held a candlelight march demanding justice for Ketan. His father, Vishal Agarwal, appealed to anyone present at Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident to come forward and assist the investigation, saying the family would continue fighting until justice was served.
