02 July,2026 04:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Gupta. Pic via X
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after drawing a comparison between the ongoing Siya Goyal case and the media scrutiny that Rhea Chakraborty faced following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. His post on X has divided opinion, with several users questioning whether the two cases are comparable.
Reacting to the intense media coverage surrounding Siya Goyal, Gupta wrote on X, "Not standing in judgement. Not taking sides. Just saying - can we please stop doing to Siya what we did to Rhea? We all watched that circus. The trial-by-television. The verdict before the evidence. We never learn."
The filmmaker's remarks came as the investigation into the death of 25-year-old Ketan Vishal Agarwal continues. What was initially believed to be a trekking accident at Lohagad Fort near Lonavala has since turned into a murder investigation. Police allege that Ketan was pushed off a cliff by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, who reportedly wanted to marry each other.
Gupta's remarks quickly drew criticism online, with many users arguing that the circumstances of the two cases are fundamentally different.
One user wrote, "Comparing Siya to Rhea? The audacity." Another questioned the comparison by pointing out that, based on the police investigation, Siya was allegedly present at the scene when her fiancé was pushed off the cliff.
Others accused the filmmaker of making an "illogical" comparison, while some described the post as "ragebait." Several users also said it was too early to equate the ongoing investigation with the media trial Rhea Chakraborty endured in 2020.
Rhea Chakraborty was subjected to intense media scrutiny after Sushant Singh Rajput's death and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drugs-related case before later speaking publicly about the trauma she experienced.
Meanwhile, the Siya Goyal case continues to make headlines. Police allege the murder was premeditated, while the investigation has also seen a legal dispute after lawyer Aashuutosh Srivastava reportedly sent a Rs 10 crore defamation notice to Siya's family over claims that he was not representing her.
