In an emotional statement to India Today TV, Praveen Goyal, father of Siya Goyal who faces accusations in the killing of her fiance Ketan Agarwal, called for the strictest sentence if his daughter is convicted, including the possibility of hanging.
The comments follow police claims that Siya Goyal and her alleged partner Chetan Chaudhary planned to kill Ketan by pushing him off a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. Both suspects remain in judicial custody.
Goyal told the channel he still cannot accept the accusations against his daughter and that the news of her arrest caused him to be hospitalized in intensive care.
“I still find it impossible to believe my daughter could do something like this. She never lied to me and always followed the right path,” he said.
He stressed that his feelings as a parent would not obstruct justice. “If my daughter is found guilty, the court should not delay justice. She should be given the same punishment. As a father, I cannot say anything more than that,” he added.
Goyal further suggested that if proven true, his daughter should face the same fate as Ketan at the fort. “If she is found guilty, take her to the same fort and push her from the same place. That is all a father can say,” he stated, also noting “Yes, she can be given the death penalty.”
He continued to express disbelief about the allegations. Siya’s mother, Pooja Goyal, said the family saw no signs of problems between the couple, who often video-called and met, with Ketan even visiting for dinner. The family had spent around Rs 50,000 on shopping for a pre-wedding trip to Bali, she noted.
“Ketan was like a son to me, and the loss had shattered both our families,” Praveen Goyal said. He rejected claims that his family hid information from Ketan’s relatives.
Pune Police allege Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary decided to murder Ketan after she reportedly feared ending the engagement would shame her family. They claim the pair pushed him into the gorge following earlier attempts. The probe continues.
