Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Siya Goyal's Brother Says 'We Never Hired Aashutosh Srivastava,' Files Affidavit

The investigation into the alleged murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has taken another turn, with accused Siya Goyal's brother publicly distancing the family from a lawyer who has been speaking to the media on their behalf.

Ahead of a crucial court hearing, Sahil Goyal, Siya's brother, said advocate Aashutosh Srivastava had neither been appointed nor authorised by the family to represent them. He also alleged that the lawyer may have obtained Siya's signature "by deceit" and claimed the family has already informed the court about the issue.

The remarks come as the police continue to investigate what they describe as a carefully planned murder conspiracy.

Family Denies Appointing Lawyer

Speaking to the media, Sahil Goyal said advocate Vipul Dushing is the only lawyer representing the family in court. He claimed that the family never hired Aashutosh Srivastava and has already filed an affidavit before the court clarifying its stand.

Sahil also alleged that Srivastava had issued threats to the family, though he did not elaborate further on the nature of those claims.

The controversy surfaced after Srivastava made several media appearances claiming to represent Siya Goyal and her family.

Bali Trip Was Cancelled After Passport Went Missing

Sahil also confirmed that he was supposed to accompany Ketan and Siya on their planned trip to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot.

"Yes. But it was cancelled because of the passport," he said while speaking to India Today.
According to Pune Police, the missing passport has become a crucial part of the investigation.

Investigators allege that Siya secretly hid Ketan's passport before their scheduled departure on June 6, causing the trip to be cancelled.

Police believe this was not an isolated incident but part of a larger conspiracy that eventually led to Ketan's death on June 18 at Lohagad Fort.

Passport Mystery Under Investigation

Police allege that after the couple reached Mumbai Airport, Ketan discovered his passport was missing, forcing them to abandon the trip.
Investigators further claim Siya later destroyed the passport as part of the alleged murder plan.

The investigation gained another lead after the couple's cab driver, Vaibhav Jadhav, told police that Siya had asked him to stop on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
According to the driver, she opened the vehicle's boot and removed an unidentified object from her purse before they reached the airport.

He also claimed that after Ketan realised his passport was missing, both Ketan and Sahil searched the cab several times, but the document could not be found.

Police are examining whether this sequence of events supports their theory that the passport was deliberately removed.

Police Reconstruct Crime Scene

On Sunday, Pune Rural Police took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to recreate the alleged crime scene. Using a dummy, investigators asked her to demonstrate how Ketan was allegedly pushed into a gorge.

Police also made her retrace the route allegedly taken before the incident.
Officials have said co-accused Chetan Chaudhary will also be taken separately to the fort for a similar reconstruction.

Investigators are trying to establish the exact sequence of events, the movements of both accused and the planning behind the alleged murder.

Police also claim the accused deleted chat messages from their mobile phones before and after the incident in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Family Members Questioned

As part of the ongoing investigation, police have questioned Siya's parents, Pravin Goyal and Puja Goyal, as well as her brother Sahil.

Her parents were reportedly questioned for nearly 12 hours, while Sahil was interrogated for over 10 hours.
When asked whether he had spoken to his sister after her arrest, Sahil declined to comment.
He said, "Whatever else there is, the police will tell you in court."

Candlelight March for Justice

Meanwhile, residents of the housing society where Ketan Agarwal's family lives organised a candlelight march demanding justice.

Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, appealed to anyone who was present at Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident to come forward and assist the investigation.

Police allege that Siya Goyal, 20, and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary, 22, conspired to kill Ketan by pushing him off Lohagad Fort because Siya did not want to go ahead with the marriage and believed calling off the wedding would bring shame to her family.
The allegations made by the police remain under investigation and will be examined during the legal proceedings.