2,004 calls, 48-minute trek, failed alibi: How Ketan's murder plot unravelled
From secret cafe meetings and 2,004 phone calls to a failed alibi and conflicting claims, Ketan Agarwal's murder has uncovered a meticulous conspiracy by Siya Goyal and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary.
The investigation into the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal has uncovered an intricate trail of digital evidence, secret meetings, conflicting statements and competing claims, with Pune Police now asserting that co-accused Chetan Chaudhary instigated Siya Goyal to eliminate her fiance.
The probe has uncovered what police believe is a meticulously planned conspiracy, stretching from months of phone conversations and a cafe meeting to failed attempts, digital evidence and phone-switching allegedly adopted to evade detection. Meanwhile, the families have put forward competing claims over the possible motive behind the killing.
Ketan, 25, died after being pushed into a gorge at Lohagad Fort on June 18. His fiancee, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, have been arrested for the murder, which investigators say was the culmination of weeks of planning rather than a spur-of-the-moment act.
'CHETAN INSTIGATED SIYA'
The latest breakthrough in the investigation points to Chetan as the driving force behind the murder plot. Police sources said that although both accused initially tried to shift blame onto each other during questioning, investigators have concluded that Chetan repeatedly persuaded Siya to kill her fiance so they could continue their relationship.
"Questioning of both the accused has revealed that it was Chetan who instigated Siya to eliminate Ketan at Lohagad Fort," a police official said.
Police have also questioned Siya's brother, Sahil Goyal, after learning that he was aware of her relationship with Chetan, while her parents have categorically denied any knowledge of the affair.
SHIFTING BLAME, THEN CONFESSIONS
During interrogation, both accused initially attempted to pin responsibility on each other before confessing to their respective roles, according to police.
Officials said that the couple chose not to elope because they feared it would bring dishonour to their families. Instead, they decided to eliminate Ketan.
According to the police reconstruction, Siya was to sit down near the cliff edge after reaching the designated spot, giving Chetan a pre-decided visual signal. He would then emerge from behind and push an unsuspecting Ketan into the gorge.
"Ketan had no idea what was coming. He was pushed into the gorge before he could realise what was happening," an investigating officer said.
June 18 was the third attempt on Ketan's life, the probe has found. Siya persuaded him to visit Lohagad Fort on May 31 and again on June 4, although the second visit did not materialise after Ketan's mother objected.
On June 14, Siya pushed Ketan near the cliff, but he survived by clinging to a bush. When he questioned her, she claimed there was a snake nearby and pretended she had pushed him to save his life.
CAFE MEETING, 2,004 PHONE CALLS
Investigators believe the conspiracy reached its final stage a day before the murder. CCTV footage captured Siya and Chetan meeting at a Third Wave Cafe in Pune on June 17, where police say they finalised the murder plan.
During the meeting, Siya searched YouTube videos of Lohagad Fort and shared details of the location with Chetan before the two identified the secluded spot from where Ketan would be pushed.
The investigation has also uncovered extensive communication between the two.
According to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill, Siya and Chetan exchanged 2,004 phone calls between January and June, spending nearly 238 hours speaking to each other.
Several conversations lasted more than two to three hours, with investigators believing the prolonged conversations formed part of the planning behind the murder.
SIYA, CHETAN'S DELETED CHATS
Police have uncovered fresh digital evidence suggesting attempts to erase communication between the accused. According to officials, Siya and boyfriend Chetan deleted chats from their mobile phones both before and after Ketan Agarwal's murder.
"Our investigation has shown that both the accused deleted their chats from their phones before June 18 and again after the Lohagad incident," the investigating officer told PTI.
Police said both mobile phones have been sent to a forensic laboratory, where experts are attempting to recover deleted messages and data from the recycle bin. Investigators believe the retrieved conversations could provide crucial evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy and planning behind the murder.
THE ALIBI THAT FELL APART
As the investigation progressed, police dismantled what they describe as Chetan's carefully constructed alibi.
On the day of the murder, he left his mobile phone at his dry fruit shop, Dhanshree Sales, with an employee, Neeraj Kumar, to create the impression that he had remained at work throughout the day.
Technical analysis showed that the phone's mobile internet remained switched off between 7 am and 5.40 pm on June 18, during which it only received incoming calls. When investigators contacted people who had called the number, they found that the calls had been answered by shop employees rather than Chetan .
Further investigation revealed that Chetan had instead carried Neeraj Kumar's phone with him. Location data from that device placed him at Lohagad Fort at the time of the murder, contradicting his claim that he had remained at the shop.
SIYA'S BROTHER QUESTIONED
Police have also questioned Siya's elder brother, Sahil Goyal, on Friday after learning that he was aware of her relationship with Chetan. According to investigators, Chetan was known to Sahil through cricket. The two had played together in local matches, and Siya would often accompany her brother to the games.
Police believe the friendship between Sahil and Chetan provided the setting in which Siya and Chetan became acquainted, eventually leading to a romantic relationship that investigators say formed the backdrop to the murder conspiracy.
THE 48-MINUTE TIMELINE
CCTV footage collected by the Pune Police helped investigators reconstruct Chetan's movements on June 18. Despite temperatures touching 33 degrees Celsius, he was seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt to conceal his identity while following Ketan and Siya up the fort.
Police said he completed the trek up and down the fort in just 48 minutes. Based on the trek duration, investigators estimate he spent only eight to ten minutes at the summit, a window they believe was sufficient to execute the murder before leaving the spot.
CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS OVER MOTIVE
As the investigation gathered pace, both families put forward competing narratives about what may have motivated the murder. While it is claimed that Siya did not want to marry Ketan, as she was in a relationship with Chetan, her family vehemently denies having knowledge of it. They argue that Siya consistently expressed her willingness to marry Ketan, and the duo were happy after the engagement.
One theory suggested Siya was unhappy because Ketan wore a hair patch. Rejecting the claim, Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, said the family had informed Siya and her relatives about it before the engagement.
"It is true that Ketan wore a small patch of a wig, but Siya and her family knew about it before the engagement. If she had any objection, she could have refused the marriage. There was no reason to kill my son," he said.
'LOHAGAD TRIP WAS KETAN'S IDEA'
Siya Goyal's mother, Pooja Goyal, claimed that her daughter had never wanted to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18 and that it was Ketan who insisted on the trip. According to her, during a video call on June 17, Ketan and his mother repeatedly persuaded Siya to join the trek despite her saying she was too tired.
"Siya told me, 'Mummy, Ketan is asking me to come for trekking, but I don't want to go. Please ask him not to insist.' But Ketan's mother told her, 'If Ketan is asking you to come, then go. He may have planned a birthday surprise for you,'" Pooja Goyal said.
She further claimed that Siya had reminded Ketan they were scheduled to leave for Mahabaleshwar the following day and would be exhausted if they went trekking.
INCONSISTENCIES IN SIYA'S ACCOUNT
Contradictions in Siya's statements proved pivotal in helping police piece together the murder conspiracy. Initially, she told police that Ketan accidentally slipped into the gorge while the couple were taking photographs.
Later, during questioning, she changed her account, saying she had stopped to rest after the climb, asked Ketan for a bottle of water and that he lost his balance while handing it to her.
Police, however, found no photographs taken at Lohagad Fort on Ketan's phone. They also noted that the location where Siya claimed they had stopped was an isolated stretch rather than a place where visitors usually rest.
SISTER'S SUSPICION BREAKS THE CASE
Four days after Ketan's funeral, Siya visited the grieving Agarwal family. During their conversation, Ketan's sister Sanjana questioned her about the sequence of events leading to Ketan's fall.
Investigators say Siya's inconsistent answers and evasive responses aroused suspicion, prompting Sanjana to approach the police. Her statement became one of the key leads that led investigators to reopen the circumstances surrounding Ketan's death.
CHETAN'S LAWYER DISPUTES POLICE CASE
Chetan's lawyer has argued that his client has been falsely implicated, claiming that the FIR merely identifies him as Siya's boyfriend without assigning him any specific role in the crime.
His father has also claimed Chetan is innocent and accused Siya of trying to frame him to save herself. At the same time, he admitted that the family did not know why Chetan had travelled to Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident or whether he was in a relationship with Siya.
'THROW HER FROM THE SAME FORT'
The murder has devastated both families, who had been jointly preparing for the wedding. Siya's father denied allegations that the Goyal family had concealed Siya's relationship with Chetan and insisted they had no knowledge of the affair.
In an emotional appeal, he said he would not defend his daughter if she was found guilty.
"Ketan was like my own son. His death has destroyed both families. If my daughter is guilty, she deserves the harshest punishment. She should be thrown from the very same place where Ketan was pushed," he said.
26/11 LAWYER TO REPRESENT KETAN'S FAMILY
Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, seeking swift justice and ensuring harsh punishment for those responsible for his son's murder. The government accepted the family's demand for a fast-track trial and appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor.
Calling the incident "shocking" and "incomprehensible", Fadnavis said the crime reflected a deeper societal concern.
"It is an extremely shocking and incomprehensible incident. As a society, we need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and a desire for revenge. This is not merely a criminal issue; it also has a social angle. Society must create a strong support system to ensure such vengeful thinking does not develop among young people," he said.
SIX SPECIAL TEAMS FORMED
Pune Rural Police have constituted six separate teams to investigate various aspects of the case, including digital evidence, witness statements, forensic findings, CCTV footage, financial transactions and the movements of the accused before and after the crime.
Officials said the multi-pronged investigation is aimed at strengthening the chargesheet and establishing the sequence of events leading up to Ketan Agarwal's death.
Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary remain in police custody as Pune Rural Police, led by Deputy SP Gajanan Tompe, prepare the final chargesheet. Police said statements of several witnesses have been recorded, and further investigation is underway.
The investigation into the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal has uncovered an intricate trail of digital evidence, secret meetings, conflicting statements and competing claims, with Pune Police now asserting that co-accused Chetan Chaudhary instigated Siya Goyal to eliminate her fiance.
The probe has uncovered what police believe is a meticulously planned conspiracy, stretching from months of phone conversations and a cafe meeting to failed attempts, digital evidence and phone-switching allegedly adopted to evade detection. Meanwhile, the families have put forward competing claims over the possible motive behind the killing.
Ketan, 25, died after being pushed into a gorge at Lohagad Fort on June 18. His fiancee, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, have been arrested for the murder, which investigators say was the culmination of weeks of planning rather than a spur-of-the-moment act.
'CHETAN INSTIGATED SIYA'
The latest breakthrough in the investigation points to Chetan as the driving force behind the murder plot. Police sources said that although both accused initially tried to shift blame onto each other during questioning, investigators have concluded that Chetan repeatedly persuaded Siya to kill her fiance so they could continue their relationship.
"Questioning of both the accused has revealed that it was Chetan who instigated Siya to eliminate Ketan at Lohagad Fort," a police official said.
Police have also questioned Siya's brother, Sahil Goyal, after learning that he was aware of her relationship with Chetan, while her parents have categorically denied any knowledge of the affair.
SHIFTING BLAME, THEN CONFESSIONS
During interrogation, both accused initially attempted to pin responsibility on each other before confessing to their respective roles, according to police.
Officials said that the couple chose not to elope because they feared it would bring dishonour to their families. Instead, they decided to eliminate Ketan.
According to the police reconstruction, Siya was to sit down near the cliff edge after reaching the designated spot, giving Chetan a pre-decided visual signal. He would then emerge from behind and push an unsuspecting Ketan into the gorge.
"Ketan had no idea what was coming. He was pushed into the gorge before he could realise what was happening," an investigating officer said.
June 18 was the third attempt on Ketan's life, the probe has found. Siya persuaded him to visit Lohagad Fort on May 31 and again on June 4, although the second visit did not materialise after Ketan's mother objected.
On June 14, Siya pushed Ketan near the cliff, but he survived by clinging to a bush. When he questioned her, she claimed there was a snake nearby and pretended she had pushed him to save his life.
CAFE MEETING, 2,004 PHONE CALLS
Investigators believe the conspiracy reached its final stage a day before the murder. CCTV footage captured Siya and Chetan meeting at a Third Wave Cafe in Pune on June 17, where police say they finalised the murder plan.
During the meeting, Siya searched YouTube videos of Lohagad Fort and shared details of the location with Chetan before the two identified the secluded spot from where Ketan would be pushed.
The investigation has also uncovered extensive communication between the two.
According to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill, Siya and Chetan exchanged 2,004 phone calls between January and June, spending nearly 238 hours speaking to each other.
Several conversations lasted more than two to three hours, with investigators believing the prolonged conversations formed part of the planning behind the murder.
SIYA, CHETAN'S DELETED CHATS
Police have uncovered fresh digital evidence suggesting attempts to erase communication between the accused. According to officials, Siya and boyfriend Chetan deleted chats from their mobile phones both before and after Ketan Agarwal's murder.
"Our investigation has shown that both the accused deleted their chats from their phones before June 18 and again after the Lohagad incident," the investigating officer told PTI.
Police said both mobile phones have been sent to a forensic laboratory, where experts are attempting to recover deleted messages and data from the recycle bin. Investigators believe the retrieved conversations could provide crucial evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy and planning behind the murder.
THE ALIBI THAT FELL APART
As the investigation progressed, police dismantled what they describe as Chetan's carefully constructed alibi.
On the day of the murder, he left his mobile phone at his dry fruit shop, Dhanshree Sales, with an employee, Neeraj Kumar, to create the impression that he had remained at work throughout the day.
Technical analysis showed that the phone's mobile internet remained switched off between 7 am and 5.40 pm on June 18, during which it only received incoming calls. When investigators contacted people who had called the number, they found that the calls had been answered by shop employees rather than Chetan .
Further investigation revealed that Chetan had instead carried Neeraj Kumar's phone with him. Location data from that device placed him at Lohagad Fort at the time of the murder, contradicting his claim that he had remained at the shop.
SIYA'S BROTHER QUESTIONED
Police have also questioned Siya's elder brother, Sahil Goyal, on Friday after learning that he was aware of her relationship with Chetan. According to investigators, Chetan was known to Sahil through cricket. The two had played together in local matches, and Siya would often accompany her brother to the games.
Police believe the friendship between Sahil and Chetan provided the setting in which Siya and Chetan became acquainted, eventually leading to a romantic relationship that investigators say formed the backdrop to the murder conspiracy.
THE 48-MINUTE TIMELINE
CCTV footage collected by the Pune Police helped investigators reconstruct Chetan's movements on June 18. Despite temperatures touching 33 degrees Celsius, he was seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt to conceal his identity while following Ketan and Siya up the fort.
Police said he completed the trek up and down the fort in just 48 minutes. Based on the trek duration, investigators estimate he spent only eight to ten minutes at the summit, a window they believe was sufficient to execute the murder before leaving the spot.
CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS OVER MOTIVE
As the investigation gathered pace, both families put forward competing narratives about what may have motivated the murder. While it is claimed that Siya did not want to marry Ketan, as she was in a relationship with Chetan, her family vehemently denies having knowledge of it. They argue that Siya consistently expressed her willingness to marry Ketan, and the duo were happy after the engagement.
One theory suggested Siya was unhappy because Ketan wore a hair patch. Rejecting the claim, Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, said the family had informed Siya and her relatives about it before the engagement.
"It is true that Ketan wore a small patch of a wig, but Siya and her family knew about it before the engagement. If she had any objection, she could have refused the marriage. There was no reason to kill my son," he said.
'LOHAGAD TRIP WAS KETAN'S IDEA'
Siya Goyal's mother, Pooja Goyal, claimed that her daughter had never wanted to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18 and that it was Ketan who insisted on the trip. According to her, during a video call on June 17, Ketan and his mother repeatedly persuaded Siya to join the trek despite her saying she was too tired.
"Siya told me, 'Mummy, Ketan is asking me to come for trekking, but I don't want to go. Please ask him not to insist.' But Ketan's mother told her, 'If Ketan is asking you to come, then go. He may have planned a birthday surprise for you,'" Pooja Goyal said.
She further claimed that Siya had reminded Ketan they were scheduled to leave for Mahabaleshwar the following day and would be exhausted if they went trekking.
INCONSISTENCIES IN SIYA'S ACCOUNT
Contradictions in Siya's statements proved pivotal in helping police piece together the murder conspiracy. Initially, she told police that Ketan accidentally slipped into the gorge while the couple were taking photographs.
Later, during questioning, she changed her account, saying she had stopped to rest after the climb, asked Ketan for a bottle of water and that he lost his balance while handing it to her.
Police, however, found no photographs taken at Lohagad Fort on Ketan's phone. They also noted that the location where Siya claimed they had stopped was an isolated stretch rather than a place where visitors usually rest.
SISTER'S SUSPICION BREAKS THE CASE
Four days after Ketan's funeral, Siya visited the grieving Agarwal family. During their conversation, Ketan's sister Sanjana questioned her about the sequence of events leading to Ketan's fall.
Investigators say Siya's inconsistent answers and evasive responses aroused suspicion, prompting Sanjana to approach the police. Her statement became one of the key leads that led investigators to reopen the circumstances surrounding Ketan's death.
CHETAN'S LAWYER DISPUTES POLICE CASE
Chetan's lawyer has argued that his client has been falsely implicated, claiming that the FIR merely identifies him as Siya's boyfriend without assigning him any specific role in the crime.
His father has also claimed Chetan is innocent and accused Siya of trying to frame him to save herself. At the same time, he admitted that the family did not know why Chetan had travelled to Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident or whether he was in a relationship with Siya.
'THROW HER FROM THE SAME FORT'
The murder has devastated both families, who had been jointly preparing for the wedding. Siya's father denied allegations that the Goyal family had concealed Siya's relationship with Chetan and insisted they had no knowledge of the affair.
In an emotional appeal, he said he would not defend his daughter if she was found guilty.
"Ketan was like my own son. His death has destroyed both families. If my daughter is guilty, she deserves the harshest punishment. She should be thrown from the very same place where Ketan was pushed," he said.
26/11 LAWYER TO REPRESENT KETAN'S FAMILY
Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, seeking swift justice and ensuring harsh punishment for those responsible for his son's murder. The government accepted the family's demand for a fast-track trial and appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor.
Calling the incident "shocking" and "incomprehensible", Fadnavis said the crime reflected a deeper societal concern.
"It is an extremely shocking and incomprehensible incident. As a society, we need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and a desire for revenge. This is not merely a criminal issue; it also has a social angle. Society must create a strong support system to ensure such vengeful thinking does not develop among young people," he said.
SIX SPECIAL TEAMS FORMED
Pune Rural Police have constituted six separate teams to investigate various aspects of the case, including digital evidence, witness statements, forensic findings, CCTV footage, financial transactions and the movements of the accused before and after the crime.
Officials said the multi-pronged investigation is aimed at strengthening the chargesheet and establishing the sequence of events leading up to Ketan Agarwal's death.
Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary remain in police custody as Pune Rural Police, led by Deputy SP Gajanan Tompe, prepare the final chargesheet. Police said statements of several witnesses have been recorded, and further investigation is underway.
