The investigation into the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal has revealed a complex web of digital evidence, secret meetings, contradictory statements, and conflicting accounts, with Pune Police now alleging that co-accused Chetan Chaudhary played a key role in persuading Siya Goyal to kill her fiancé.
According to investigators, the case points to a carefully orchestrated conspiracy involving months of communication, covert planning, multiple failed attempts, and measures allegedly designed to avoid detection. At the same time, both families continue to offer differing explanations regarding the possible motive behind the crime.
Ketan Agarwal, 25, died on June 18 after falling into a gorge at Lohagad Fort. Police allege that his fiancée, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, were responsible for his death. Investigators believe the incident was not spontaneous but the result of weeks of planning.
Police sources say that recent questioning has identified Chetan as the primary instigator behind the alleged murder plot. Although both accused initially attempted to blame one another during interrogation, investigators claim they eventually admitted their respective roles.
According to police, Chetan repeatedly encouraged Siya to eliminate Ketan so that the two could continue their relationship without opposition.
Authorities have also questioned Siya’s brother, Sahil Goyal, after learning that he allegedly knew about her relationship with Chetan. However, Siya’s parents have firmly denied any knowledge of the affair.
Investigators claim the couple rejected the idea of eloping because they feared bringing dishonour to their families. Instead, they allegedly decided to remove Ketan from the equation.
Police reconstruction suggests that once the trio reached a designated spot near the cliff edge, Siya was supposed to sit down as a pre-arranged signal. Chetan would then emerge from behind and push Ketan into the gorge.
According to investigators, Ketan was completely unaware of the danger and had no opportunity to react before being pushed.
The investigation further suggests that June 18 was not the first attempt on Ketan’s life. Police claim Siya persuaded him to visit Lohagad Fort on May 31 and again on June 4, although the second trip was reportedly cancelled after objections from Ketan’s mother.
Investigators also allege that on June 14, Siya pushed Ketan near the cliff edge, but he survived after grabbing onto a bush. When questioned, she reportedly claimed she had pushed him to save him from a nearby snake.
Police believe the conspiracy entered its final phase on June 17, when CCTV footage allegedly captured Siya and Chetan meeting at a Third Wave Cafe in Pune.
According to investigators, the pair reviewed YouTube videos of Lohagad Fort, discussed possible locations, and selected a secluded spot from where the alleged murder would later take place.
The investigation has also uncovered extensive communication between the accused.
Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill stated that between January and June, Siya and Chetan exchanged 2,004 phone calls and spent nearly 238 hours talking to each other. Several calls reportedly lasted more than two or three hours, leading investigators to believe these conversations formed part of the planning process.
CCTV footage obtained by Lonavala Rural Police has also helped reconstruct Chetan’s movements on the day of the incident.
Despite temperatures reaching around 33°C, he was reportedly seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt while climbing the fort, which investigators believe was intended to conceal his identity.
Police estimate that Chetan completed the ascent and descent in approximately 48 minutes. Based on this timeline, investigators believe he spent only eight to ten minutes at the summit, which they consider sufficient time to carry out the alleged murder before leaving the area.
A major breakthrough reportedly came from inconsistencies in Siya’s statements.
Initially, she told police that Ketan accidentally slipped while the couple were taking photographs. Later, she changed her version of events, claiming that she had stopped to rest and that Ketan lost his balance while handing her a water bottle.
Investigators found no photographs from Lohagad Fort on Ketan’s phone and noted that the location where Siya claimed they had stopped was an isolated area not commonly used by visitors for resting.
Another important development came after Ketan’s funeral.
Four days later, Siya visited the Agarwal family. During a conversation, Ketan’s sister, Sanjana, questioned her about the events leading to his death.
Police say Siya’s inconsistent explanations and evasive answers raised suspicions, prompting Sanjana to approach investigators. Her statement became a key factor in reopening the circumstances surrounding Ketan’s death.
As the investigation progressed, police also challenged what they describe as Chetan’s carefully planned alibi.
Investigators claim that on the day of the murder, Chetan left his own mobile phone at his dry-fruit business, Dhanshree Sales, with an employee named Neeraj Kumar to create the impression that he remained at work throughout the day.
Technical analysis allegedly showed that the device’s mobile internet remained switched off between 7 a.m. and 5:40 p.m., during which time it only received incoming calls. When investigators contacted callers, they reportedly discovered that employees, rather than Chetan, had answered the phone.
Further analysis indicated that Chetan had allegedly taken Neeraj Kumar’s phone with him instead. Location data from that device reportedly placed him at Lohagad Fort during the time of the incident, contradicting his claim that he was at the shop.
As the investigation intensified, both families advanced competing narratives regarding the motive.
Police maintain that Siya wished to continue her relationship with Chetan and did not want to marry Ketan. Her family, however, denies any knowledge of such a relationship and insists that Siya had repeatedly expressed her willingness to marry Ketan.
One theory suggested that Siya was unhappy because Ketan wore a hair patch. Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, rejected this claim, stating that Siya and her family had been informed about it before the engagement.
He said that if Siya had any objections, she could have declined the marriage proposal rather than resorting to violence.
Meanwhile, Siya’s mother, Pooja Goyal, claimed that her daughter never wanted to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18 and that the outing was Ketan’s idea.
According to her, Siya had expressed reluctance to go trekking because she was tired and had upcoming travel plans. However, she alleged that Ketan and his mother encouraged her to join the trip, suggesting it might involve a birthday surprise.
Chetan’s lawyer has challenged the police narrative, arguing that his client has been falsely implicated. According to the defence, the FIR identifies Chetan primarily as Siya’s boyfriend and does not clearly establish his role in the alleged crime.
Chetan’s father has also maintained his son’s innocence and accused Siya of attempting to shift blame onto him. At the same time, he admitted that the family was unaware of why Chetan had travelled to Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident or whether he was involved in a relationship with Siya.
The tragedy has deeply affected both families, who had been preparing for the wedding.
Siya’s father denied allegations that the family knowingly concealed her relationship with Chetan and insisted they had no knowledge of the affair.
In an emotional statement, he said that if his daughter is found guilty, she should face the strictest possible punishment.
Seeking swift justice, Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, recently met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Following the meeting, the government agreed to the family’s request for a fast-track trial and appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor.
Describing the case as both shocking and difficult to comprehend, Fadnavis said it reflected a broader social concern.
He remarked that society must examine why educated young people from respectable families sometimes develop such extreme feelings of revenge and criminal intent. According to him, the issue extends beyond criminality and highlights the need for stronger social support systems to prevent such mindsets from developing.
Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary remain in police custody as Pune Rural Police, under the supervision of Deputy SP Gajanan Tompe, continue their investigation and prepare the final chargesheet. Authorities have already recorded statements from several witnesses, and further inquiries are ongoing.
