Renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam is set to serve as the special public prosecutor in the high-profile case involving the alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal, a 25-year-old who tragically died after falling from a cliff near Lohagad Fort in Maharashtra’s Pune district. The appointment follows a meeting between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the victim’s father, Vishal Agarwal, held in Pune.
An official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that Fadnavis pledged to ensure stringent action against those responsible for Agarwal’s death. The Chief Minister agreed to the family’s request for Nikam to take on the role of special public prosecutor, and steps have been initiated by the Law and Judiciary Department to expedite the process. Additionally, Fadnavis has consented to the family’s demand for the case to be expedited through a fast-track court.
Ujjwal Nikam, who began his legal career as a district prosecutor in Jalgaon, has become a prominent figure in high-stakes criminal trials across India. His notable cases include the prosecution of the 1993 Bombay serial blasts, the murder of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar, and the killing of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. Nikam gained national acclaim for his role in the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving terrorist from the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
His extensive legal portfolio includes other significant cases such as the Khairlanji Dalit massacre, the Shakti Mills gang rape, the Kopardi rape and murder case, and the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune. Recognizing his contributions to law and justice, President Droupadi Murmu nominated Nikam to the Rajya Sabha in July 2025.
In the current case, Ketan Agarwal died on June 18 after reportedly falling into a 350-foot-deep valley during a trek to Lohagad Fort with his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and other friends. Initially classified as an accidental death, the case was later reclassified as a murder investigation. Five days post-incident, police accused Goyal, aged 20, and her friend Chetan Chaudhary, aged 22, of orchestrating Agarwal’s murder.
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Investigators allege that Goyal, who was engaged to Agarwal, was unwilling to proceed with their marriage and conspired with Chaudhary to eliminate him. The police have charged both individuals with murder and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Subsequently, Goyal and Chaudhary were arrested on June 23 and presented before the judicial magistrate at Wadgaon Maval, where they were remanded to police custody until June 29.
Advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava, an alumnus of Pune University and Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, is representing Goyal. He is the founder of A A Associates, Advocates & Legal Advisors, based in Pune, and is a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association, New Delhi. Meanwhile, Advocate Ram Shahane is defending Chaudhary.
