Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam, best known for prosecuting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, has agreed to take up the prosecution in the Ketan Agarwal murder case after a fast-track court was approved by the Maharashtra government.
The Maharashtra government has approved the setting up of a fast-track court and appointed senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor in the much-talked-about Ketan Agarwal murder case, in a development that has brought renewed national attention to the killing of the 26-year-old Pune businessman at Lohagad Fort.
Nikam, who is widely remembered as the prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, said he was appointed to the role after receiving a call from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who informed him of the victim’s family’s request. He said the Chief Minister described the case as “a challenge for Maharashtra” and personally urged him to take up the responsibility, after which he agreed.
“The entire nation has been shaken by this murder,” Nikam said.
The Lohagad Fort Case
Ketan Agarwal, a director and chief marketing officer at the family-run real estate firm Success Group, died on June 18 after falling from a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune. What was initially reported as a trekking accident is now being investigated by police as a calculated murder.
Police have arrested Agarwal’s fiancée, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. Investigators allege that the two had been in contact for roughly six months, exchanging over 2,000 phone calls, and that they met at a Pune cafe on the day of the incident to finalise their plan before identifying a suitable spot at the fort.
According to the police account, Siya and Ketan had got engaged in February and were reportedly planning a wedding at a palace venue in Udaipur in November. Investigators say Siya had suggested multiple visits to Lohagad Fort in the weeks leading up to Ketan’s death, including one on May 31 and an alleged earlier attempt to push him from a cliff during a visit on June 14 — an incident Ketan reportedly survived by holding onto a bush.
Defence and Family Reactions
The case has triggered an emotional public exchange between the two families. Siya Goyal’s parents have demanded the harshest punishment for their daughter if she is found guilty, with her mother reportedly saying she should be “thrown from the same fort” if her guilt is proven.
Meanwhile, defence counsel for the accused has argued that with the charge sheet yet to be filed, there is currently no independent witness establishing the crime, and has said the defence will appear in court on June 29 to seek judicial custody for Siya Goyal.
Case at a Glance
- Victim: Ketan Agarwal, 26, director at Success Group, Pune
- Incident: Fatal fall from a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18
- Accused: Siya Goyal (20), Ketan’s fiancée; Chetan Chaudhary (22)
- Charges: Murder and criminal conspiracy
- Prosecutor: Ujjwal Nikam, appointed Special Public Prosecutor
- Next hearing: June 29, on custody
A High-Profile Hand on the Prosecution
Nikam’s appointment is being seen as a signal of how seriously the state government is treating the case, given his record as one of India’s most recognised criminal prosecutors. The fast-track court is expected to expedite proceedings as the investigation, headed by a Special Investigation Team, continues to build its case ahead of the filing of the charge sheet.
The case has also drawn commentary from public figures, including actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, who weighed in on questions of parental responsibility and the influence of social media and peer pressure on young people, while cautioning against judging families based on the actions of their children.
With both the prosecution and defence preparing for the June 29 hearing, the case is expected to remain in the national spotlight in the weeks ahead.
