Siya Goyal vs her lawyer: ₹10 crore defamation suit on accused's brother in Ketan Agarwal case

Siya Goyal's brother, Sahil Goyal, has denied that the family had appointed Aashuutosh Srivastava as her lawyer.

Updated on: Jun 30, 2026, 19:24:27 IST

By Shivya Kanojia

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Who is Siya Goyal's lawyer? The question has added a new twist to the ongoing investigation into the Pune fort death case, with advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava sending a ₹10 crore defamation notice to Siya's brother, Sahil Goyal, on Tuesday over competing claims about her legal representation.

Siya Goyal is accused of killing her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal in Pune, along with her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary. (PTI and social media photos )

Siya Goyal is accused of killing her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, along with her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary. Ketan was reportedly pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune on June 18.

₹10 crore defamation notice

After Siya's brother, Sahil Goyal, denied that the family had appointed Aashuutosh Srivastava as her lawyer, Srivastava sent a ₹10 crore defamation notice, alleging that false claims had been made about his role in the case.

"We have sent a ₹10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal. We did this because we heard a statement from him where he is stating completely false facts, lying, and attempting to mislead the public. As far as the accused, Siya Goyal, is concerned, she has signed and authorised all necessary legal documents in every proper manner, and those documents, including the Vakalatnama have already been filed in court. She has granted us the legal authority for her High Court representation as well, which we will oversee moving forward, Aashuutosh told news agency PTI.

Also read | ‘Death penalty for Siya, Chetan’: Ketan Agrawal's parents join march in Pune, demand swift action

He further said,"We have absolutely nothing to do with Sahil Goyal. We haven't spoken to him, had no communication with him on any subject, and exchanged no emails. Hence, a statement of this nature from him is highly irresponsible, defamatory, and constitutes an outright attack on the legal fraternity. As an accused, Siya Goyal has every legal right to retain a lawyer. Even if she wishes to change her counsel at any point, there is a formal legal procedure for that, which strictly requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Sahil Goyal must issue an apology for his statement, because we do not represent him, and he holds absolutely no authority to give false statements."

Competing claims over legal representation

The controversy emerged after advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava appeared publicly on behalf of Siya Goyal and questioned the evidentiary value of her alleged confession made while in police custody.

Also read | Who is Siya Goyal's lawyer? Fresh twist as accused's brother says Aashutosh Srivastava 'was never hired'

However, within a day, another advocate, Vipul Dushing, announced that he and his legal team were representing Siya in the case, creating confusion over who had been officially engaged by the accused.

Siya's brother rejects Srivastava's claim

Siya Goyal's brother, Sahil Goyal, has denied that the family had appointed Aashuutosh Srivastava as her lawyer.

Also read | 'Need to probe murder rehearsels, passport disposal': Why police sought extended custody of Siya Goyal, 'lover' Chetan

"We have never hired him (Advocate Aashutosh Srivastava), and he is not someone that we have hired from our family. I know nothing about what he is claiming," Sahil Goyal told news agency ANI.

Police continues investigation

The row over legal representation comes a day after Pune Rural Police took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to recreate the events of the June 18 death of her fiance, Ketan Agarwal.

Also read | Sitting down ‘signal’, Siya Goyal's ‘safety’: What police found in Ketan Agarwal's murder scene recreation

According to investigators, Goyal allegedly demonstrated how she signalled co-accused Chetan Chaudhary by sitting down, either pretending to drink water or tie her shoelaces, before Chaudhary allegedly pushed Agarwal off the cliff.

Police claimed the two visited the fort earlier to identify a suitable location for the crime and had even did a "practice" run. Officials say they are still verifying where the alleged rehearsal took place.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shivya Kanojia
Shivya Kanojia is a journalist at Hindustan Times, where she works in the fast-paced digital news ecosystem with a strong sense of editorial judgement and a clear understanding of what makes a story both important and traffic-driven. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Shivya brings a thoughtful balance of news value and audience relevance to her work, ensuring stories resonate beyond the immediate headline. Over the course of her three-year journey in the digital news space, Shivya has worked across a wide range of beats, including politics, civic issues, human-interest features and trending news. This diverse exposure has shaped her ability to approach stories with nuance, adaptability and context, whether she is breaking down complex developments or spotlighting everyday narratives that often go unnoticed. She is particularly drawn to human-interest stories, interviews and explainers that offer depth and clarity, aiming to move past surface-level reporting to explore the people, emotions and circumstances behind the news. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Shivya worked with Firstpost and Times Now, where she covered a broad spectrum of topics and honed her skills in digital journalism . Outside the newsroom, Shivya enjoys discovering new cafés, drawn to good coffee, cosy spaces and unhurried conversations. Shopping is another pastime she cherishes, not always out of necessity, but often guided by instinct and the simple joy of stumbling upon unexpected finds. Above all, she treasures time spent with loved ones, finding meaning in shared laughter, simple moments and memories that linger long after.Read More

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