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Representation Dispute Deepens as Accused Siya Goyal Denies Hiring Advocate Srivastava, Backs Family-Appointed Lawyer in Court
A legal war has broken out in the Lohagad Fort murder case, with defense attorney Ashutosh Srivastava slapping a Rs 10 crore defamation notice on the brother of accused Siya Goyal. While Srivastava claims he has a signed vakalatnama to lead the defense, the Goyal family has accused him of fraud, with Siya directly telling the court that she is being represented by Advocate Vipul Dushing.
ND
by News Desk
2026-06-30
Representation Dispute Deepens as Accused Siya Goyal Denies Hiring Advocate Srivastava, Backs Family-Appointed Lawyer in Court

Detailed Report

  • The Representation Rift: The high-profile Ketan Agarwal murder investigation has taken a dramatic turn inside the courtroom as a fierce legal battle erupts over who actually represents the prime accused, Siya Goyal. Advocate Ashutosh Srivastava has formally issued a legal notice to Siya’s brother, Sahil Goyal, demanding a public apology and threatening a $Rs\ 10\ \text{crore}$ ($100\ \text{million\ rupees}$) civil defamation lawsuit. Srivastava claims Sahil tarnished his professional reputation on public forums by challenging his legal mandate, asserting that a vakalatnama (power of attorney for legal representation) was legitimately signed by Siya and is already part of the official court record.

  • Allegations of Deceit: In response, Sahil Goyal has fiercely denied that the family ever retained Srivastava's services, maintaining that they have officially hired Advocate Vipul Dushing for Siya’s criminal defense. Sahil has filed a formal affidavit with the court, explicitly accusing Srivastava of obtaining his sister's signatures through deceitful means. The underlying dispute came to a definitive head during a recent open-court hearing, where Siya Goyal directly clarified her stance to the judge, stating, "Ashutosh Srivastava is not my lawyer. Vipul Dushing is representing me."

  • The Defense Counter-Strategy: Despite the ongoing counsel dispute, Advocate Srivastava continues to push back against the prosecution's narrative. He has announced his intention to strongly oppose any further extension of police custody for Siya, arguing that she has consistently cooperated with the investigative team. Srivastava has publicly questioned the structural logic of the police’s case, pointing out that there is no solid, direct eyewitness statement implicating Siya in a physical push and questioning why an alleged conspirator would repeatedly drag a target back to the exact same geographical location if a premeditated crime was being actively planned.
Tagged:

#KetanAgarwalCase #SiyaGoyal #LohagadFortMurder #PuneCrime #DefamationLawsuit #CourtroomDrama #VakalatnamaDispute #BreakingNewsIndia
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