Maharashtra CM assures fast-track trial in Pune fort murder case, appoints special prosecutor

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday assured the family of Ketan Agarwal, who was allegedly pushed to death from Lohagad Fort by his fiancée and her lover, that the government would ensure strict punishment for those responsible and spare no effort in securing justice.

Mr. Fadnavis also accepted the Agarwal family's demand to try the case in a fast-track court and approved the appointment of senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor. The Chief Minister directed the Secretary of the Law and Judiciary Department to initiate the necessary process for the appointment, while Nikam has conveyed his consent to appear as the special public prosecutor, according to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, met the CM in Pune and sought justice for his son. Ketan's fiancée Siya Goyal (20) and her lover Chetan Chaudhary (22) are accused of pushing him off a cliff at Lohagad Fort, located in Maval taluka of Pune district, on June 18. According to police, Siya and Ketan (25) were scheduled to get married in November, but she did not want to marry him. Siya and Chetan allegedly hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Ketan and executed the plan.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Mr. Fadnavis said the Lohagad Fort incident reflected a disturbing social trend that required deeper introspection. "It is an extremely shocking and incomprehensible incident. As a society, we need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and a desire for revenge. This is not merely a criminal issue; it also has a social angle," he said. The CM added that society must create a strong support system to ensure such vengeful thinking does not develop among young people.