Maharashtra appoints Ujjwal Nikam to fast-track Ketan Agarwal murder trial
PUNE — The Maharashtra government on Friday, June 26, 2026, officially announced that the trial for the murder of Ketan Agarwal will be fast-tracked. Alongside this decision, the state government has appointed the prominent senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam to serve as the Special Public Prosecutor for the case.
The key administrative decision followed a meeting held in Pune between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the victim's father, Vishal Agarwal. During their discussion, Vishal Agarwal handed over a formal list of demands to Chief Minister Fadnavis. The grieving father sought speedy justice for his deceased son and demanded that the strictest possible punishment be handed down to the accused individuals.
The murder case revolves around the death of 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal. The police have accused Ketan's fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged boyfriend, Chetan Choudhary, of conspiring to murder him. According to investigators, the duo allegedly planned to eliminate Ketan and subsequently portray the murder as a trekking accident at the historic Lohagad Fort.
During police interrogation, Siya Goyal allegedly admitted to investigators that she never actually wished to marry Ketan. The police claimed that she specifically cited Ketan's bald patch and his speech impediment among the primary reasons she did not want to proceed with the marriage.
However, Goyal allegedly refrained from breaking off the wedding alliance because she did not want to embarrass or hurt her own family. Instead of ending the relationship openly, she allegedly chose to conspire with her boyfriend, Chetan Choudhary, to carry out the fatal plot.
Reacting to the shocking allegations, Siya Goyal’s mother made a striking statement regarding her daughter's potential involvement. She publicly stated that her daughter should receive the harshest possible punishment if she is ultimately found guilty of the crime by the court.
With the appointment of senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor, the state government is looking to fast-track the legal proceedings to ensure that the trial concludes quickly and justice is served.
