PUNE: Maharashtra assembly’s presiding officer Raju Khare on Thursday directed the state government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agrawal.The 26-year-old’s death came under the scanner after police alleged that his fiancée, Siya Goyal (20), and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary (22) pushed him into a gorge near Lohagad Fort in Pune on June 18.Both have been arrested.Agrawal and Goyal were scheduled to get married in November at a palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan.The issue was raised in the state assembly by NCP MLA Sunil Shelke, who demanded that Goyal’s family also be made accused in the case. He alleged that her family had concealed her relationship with another person from Agrawal’s family.Shelke also demanded that the trial be conducted in a fast-track court.Raising the matter, Shelke said Agrawal’s family was initially told that he had died in an accident, but a detailed police investigation later revealed it was a murder case.He praised the Pune rural superintendent of police and the investigating team for collecting evidence and recording witness statements that helped uncover the truth.“What was initially projected as an accident was found to be a murder following a detailed police investigation,” the legislator said.Shelke also referred to alleged links between the accused, Siya Goyal and Chaudhary, claiming that phone call records and other evidence had emerged during the investigation.“If justice is to be delivered to Ketan Agrawal and his family, the state government must take appropriate cognisance of the matter and ensure necessary action,” he said.Following the discussion, Raju Khare directed the government to set up an SIT to investigate the case.However, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav questioned whether the presiding officer’s directive was binding on the government.He cited earlier instances where directions from the legislative council’s deputy chairperson were overruled by the chief minister and said even assembly rulings had not always been implemented.BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar responded that the rules governing the legislative council and the assembly were different.
