Nation / Fri, 03 Jul 2026 News18

Lawyer Vs Advocate: Who Sent Notice To Siya's Brother In Ketan Case? Many Don't Know The Difference!

So who actually sent the notice, a lawyer or an advocate? The case took a fresh turn after advocate Ashutosh Srivastava sent a Rs 10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal over statements questioning whether he had been authorised to represent Siya Goyal. 6 / 10 According to Srivastava, Siya has also authorised his team to represent her before the Bombay High Court. ADVERTISEMENT7 / 10 The legal notice further demands that Sahil immediately withdraw his statements and issue a public apology. In simple terms, every advocate is a lawyer, but not every lawyer is an advocate.

Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 11:13 IST

1 / 10 Pune Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: As Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal's murder continues to dominate national headlines, another angle emerged this week when a Pune-based legal professional sent a Rs 10 crore defamation notice to Siya Goyal's brother, Sahil Goyal. While most national publications, including The Times of India and Hindustan Times, described him as a 'lawyer', The Indian Express referred to him as an 'advocate'. So who actually sent the notice, a lawyer or an advocate? Or are the two terms interchangeable? News18 explains.

2 / 10 The latest controversy stems from the high-profile murder case involving Ketan Agarwal, who investigators allege was pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Lonavala on June 18. Police arrested Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary on June 23, alleging that the two conspired to kill Agarwal, who was engaged to marry Siya later this year.

3 / 10 According to Pune Rural Police, Siya and Chaudhary, who investigators claim had been in a relationship since October last year, planned the alleged murder during a meeting at a Pune café, rehearsed the act in advance and executed the plan after Siya allegedly gave a pre-arranged signal before Chaudhary pushed Agarwal off the cliff. The allegations remain under investigation. The case took a fresh turn after advocate Ashutosh Srivastava sent a Rs 10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal over statements questioning whether he had been authorised to represent Siya Goyal.

4 / 10 Speaking to IANS, Srivastava said the vakalatnama and other authorisation documents signed by Siya had already been filed before the court and formed part of the judicial record. He maintained that Siya had personally appointed his legal team to represent her and dismissed claims made by her family disputing his appointment.

5 / 10 Srivastava alleged that Sahil attempted to mislead the public and tarnish the reputation of his law firm by claiming the family had appointed another lawyer and by alleging that he had received threats from Srivastava. "We have sent a Rs 10 crore defamation notice to Sahil Goyal because he made completely false statements, lied and attempted to mislead the public," Srivastava said. He also stated that neither he nor his office had ever communicated with Sahil through meetings, phone calls or emails, describing the allegations as defamatory and an attack on the legal profession.

6 / 10 According to Srivastava, Siya has also authorised his team to represent her before the Bombay High Court. He stressed that every accused person has the legal right to choose their own counsel and that any change of representation must follow due legal procedure, including obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the existing advocate before appointing another.

7 / 10 The legal notice further demands that Sahil immediately withdraw his statements and issue a public apology. It alleges that Sahil made the remarks without verifying the vakalatnama already on court record or seeking clarification from Srivastava's office. The notice also claims the remarks caused significant reputational and professional harm, including loss of goodwill, mental distress, erosion of client confidence and personal risk due to widespread media attention. Citing these alleged damages, Srivastava has sought compensation of Rs 10 crore.

8 / 10 Lawyer Vs Advocate: What's The Difference? Although the terms are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, they do not mean exactly the same thing under Indian law. A lawyer is anyone who has completed a recognised law degree, such as a three-year or five-year LLB. Lawyers are trained in the law and can advise clients on legal matters, draft legal documents and assist with legal proceedings.

9 / 10 An advocate, however, is a lawyer who is enrolled with a State Bar Council under the provisions of the Advocates Act, 1961. After fulfilling the Bar Council's enrolment requirements, including, where applicable, qualifying the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), an advocate is authorised to practise before courts and represent clients in judicial proceedings. In simple terms, every advocate is a lawyer, but not every lawyer is an advocate. While all advocates hold law degrees, only those enrolled with the Bar Council have the statutory right to practise law before courts and plead cases on behalf of clients.