The dispute in the Agrawal family (with 7 siblings – Suresh, Uma, Asha, Aruna, Karuna, Subhash and Shekhar) involved Suresh and Subhash trying to claim their father’s property entirely for themselves, even going to the extent of creating a false will.  The 4 sisters did not want any property for themselves, but supported their youngest brother Shekhar in his quest for his share of the property in accordance with the well-established wishes of the father, Ranchor Das Agrawal who had died years earlier in 1989?)  Police concluded that Subhash and Suresh ordered the murder of their sister Asha to prevent any other siblings from getting a share and to prevent the truth of the fake will being exposed.

Asha Goel’s family from Canada arrived on August 25 and mustered all resources to ensure a full force investigation,  They were able to bring in Joint Commissioner of Crime Satyapal Singh who subsequently announced in early September 2003 that the case had been cracked and the masterminds behind the crime were the brothers Suresh and Subhash Agrawal, with the crime physically perpetrated by their employees Pawan Kumar Goenka (Subhash’s second-in-command who managed all Subhash’s dealings in India), Pradeep Parab (night clerk at Little Lodge – a guest house owned by Suresh) and Manohar Shinde (manager of Little Lodge), and Suresh’s son-in-law Narendra Goel.

Instigated by Subhash Agrawal, Suresh and Subhash conspired to murder their sister Asha.  They enlisted Narender Goel (Suresh’s son-in-law), and Pawan Kumar Goenka (Subhash’s second in command who managed all Subhash’s dealings in India).  Narender Goel and PK Goenka met at Little Lodge (a guest house owned and managed by Suresh and Subhash) with Pradeep Parab (night clerk at Little Lodge) and Manohar Shinde (manager of Little Lodge) who Narender Goel and PK Goenka hired to assist in the murder.

On the night of August 22, Narender Goel, PK Goenka, and Shinde drove in Narender Goel’s Santro car to pick up Parab from Little Lodge. (There was a watchman at Little Lodge who attested to Parab’s departure – Shinde Kaka- but he has since died).   They drove to Sudhakar building where Shinde, Goenka and Parab went up to the 14^th floor in the lift.  (The lift man Chaudary, originally stated that he took them up in the lift, and brought them down later and noticed they were carrying a bag but he was later threatened  by the defendants and recanted.  He has now expressed his willingness to tell the truth again).  PK Goenka had a key to Subhash’s side of the flat which they entered.  Suresh was present when they entered the flat.  The 3 assailants originally tried to smother Asha Goel with a pillow.  She awoke and fought them off.  They procured a paring knife, vegetable peeler and granite block from the kitchen and front hall.  The 3 men attacked her with the paring knife and the vegetable peeler inflicting several wounds.  Ultimately, Parab smashed her skull with the granite block and she fell to the ground bleeding profusely and died.  Parab and Goenka washed in the adjacent bathroom and removed their bloodstained clothes.  They changed into shirts from Asha Goel’s suitcase.  They took her purse, jewelry.  They took her purse, jewelry, and mobile phone and stuffed their bloodstained clothes in a bag.  The 3 men exited the flat and went down in the lift.  They entered Narender’s car and drove back to Little Lodge where Parab got out.  Later, Shinde (?) called Little Lodge and spoke to Parab. When Parab asked about the money they had promised, they threatened to kill him. 

Asha Goel’s body was discovered by servants in the morning and Suresh initially insisted that it was suicide, despite the obvious nature of the injuries.  Her body was first examined by another resident of Sudhakar building, Dr. Mishra, who insisted police be called.  (Unfortunately Dr. Mishra has since died).  Parab was arrested by police within 2 weeks of the murder and during questioning confessed to his involvement and detailed the involvement of the other men including that the killing was done on the orders of Subhash and Suresh.

The case was originally assigned to Mr, Raja Thakare who filed the original charge sheets and supplementary charge sheets. He held the case for many many years against spurious serial challenges by the defendants including 3 disputes that went all the way to the Supreme Court.   During these challenges, orders for an expedited trial were also passed 3 separate times, including one coming from the Supreme Court.  While Mr. Thakare was ultimately successful against these challenges each time, these repeated contests combined with a constantly changing bench caused outrageous years-long delays.  Mr.  Thakare was elevated in 2020 and could no longer continue the case.  It was briefly in the hands of Mr. Thakare’s associate, Mr. Chimalkar who made no progress.   We petitioned Mr. Ujwal Nikam to take over the case and he was appointed in 2022 to take it over,  He was not successful in moving the case forward with any speed  but did bring us to the very beginning of trial and examined one initial witness.  In pursuit of his political career, Mr. Nikam resigned from all his cases in April 2024.  While technically the trial has begun, we are currently left with no one to captain this case and bring it to justice.