Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has found himself at the centre of an online debate after comparing the intense media coverage surrounding murder accused Siya Goyal with the treatment actor Rhea Chakraborty received following Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020.
The controversy comes amid the shocking Siya Goyal case, which has dominated headlines in recent days. What was initially believed to be a trekking accident has now turned into an alleged murder investigation. Police claim that Ketan Vishal Agarwal, a 25-year-old businessman from Pune, was allegedly killed after being pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18.
According to investigators, Ketan’s fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, conspired to kill him because they wanted to be together. The police have claimed that Ketan had even survived an earlier murder attempt before the fatal incident.
Amid the ongoing media coverage, Sanjay Gupta took to X (formerly Twitter) to urge people against conducting a media trial. He wrote that he was not taking sides but questioned whether society was repeating the same mistake it made with Rhea Chakraborty.
Also Read :-https://x.com/_SanjayGupta/status/2072338463865872511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2072338463865872511%7Ctwgr%5E5c64b34f13cbdb60b66f36a6024ef69005da40b4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindustantimes.com%2Fentertainment%2Fbollywood%2Finternet-slams-sanjay-gupta-for-equating-rhea-chakraborty-media-circus-with-siya-goyal-pune-murder-case-ketan-agarwal-101782983015492.html
Referring to Rhea’s experience after Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, Gupta said people had witnessed a “trial by television” where judgments were passed before all the evidence was available. He appealed for restraint in the Siya Goyal case as well.
However, his post did not go down well with many social media users.
Several users argued that the two cases are fundamentally different and should not be compared. Many pointed out that while Rhea Chakraborty was never accused of murdering Sushant Singh Rajput, Siya Goyal is facing serious allegations in an active murder investigation.
One user questioned how the two situations could be placed in the same context, while another accused the filmmaker of making an illogical comparison. Others described the post as an attempt to attract attention, with some saying he was trying too hard to create controversy.
The debate quickly gained momentum online, with users expressing differing views on whether the media should exercise greater caution while covering criminal investigations.
The comparison also brought renewed attention to Rhea Chakraborty’s own ordeal. Following Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, the actress faced intense media scrutiny, multiple allegations, and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug-related investigation. In later interviews, Rhea said the experience had left a lasting emotional impact, even though she has tried to rebuild her life.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the Siya Goyal case continues. Police allege that Siya and Chetan Chaudhary planned Ketan Agarwal’s murder because they wanted to marry each other. The case has also taken another turn after advocate Aashuutosh Srivastava reportedly sent a ₹10 crore defamation notice following claims by Siya’s family that he was not representing her.
As the investigation progresses, the case continues to generate widespread public interest. At the same time, Sanjay Gupta’s remarks have sparked a larger conversation about the balance between media reporting, public opinion, and the principle that legal cases should ultimately be decided in court rather than on social media or television.
