Pune woman, lover sent to 7-day police custody over fiancé's murder at fort
Police allege Ketan Agarwal was pushed to his death at Lohagad Fort after his fiancée initially claimed he had slipped. The two accused have confessed to the crime and remain in police custody.
The Pune district court has remanded accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary to seven days of police custody in connection with the Lohagad Fort murder case. Lonavala Rural Police had sought their custodial interrogation to facilitate further investigation into the alleged killing of Ketan Agarwal. After hearing the matter, the court directed that both accused remain in police custody until June 29.
Pune Rural Police SP Sandeep Singh Gill said the two had confessed to the crime. Giving details, Gill said that Siya Goyal and Ketan Agarwal, who were engaged, had visited Lohagad Fort on June 18.
He said Siya Goyal called to report that Ketan Agarwal had slipped and fallen from the fort, resulting in his death. "Subsequent inquiries and information gathered from relatives and friends raised suspicions; it seemed unlikely for such an accident to occur spontaneously, especially given that Ketan was an experienced trekker. The family expressed doubts, and a formal complaint was lodged based on these suspicions," he said.
According to police, the investigation, aided by confidential inputs, witness statements and technical evidence, revealed that Siya Goyal was acquainted with Chetan Chaudhary and that the two had known each other for nearly a year.
Officials alleged that the pair conspired to kill Ketan Agarwal and executed the plan during a visit to Lohagad Fort, where he was allegedly pushed into a gorge, resulting in his death. Based on the findings, Lonavala Rural Police registered a murder case against both accused.
Police said Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been taken into custody and allegedly confessed to their involvement during questioning. Further investigation into the case is underway.
PREVIOUS MURDER ATTEMPT FAILED
According to investigators, Ketan and his fiancee Siya Goyal visited Lohagad Fort on May 31, during which she allegedly first conceived the plan to eliminate him. Police claim that a subsequent attempt was made on June 14, when Ketan was allegedly taken to the fort and efforts were made to push him into a valley after creating panic over a purported snake sighting. However, the plan allegedly failed and Ketan escaped unharmed.
Investigators further alleged that Siya Goyal then organised another visit to Lohagad Fort on June 18. During this trip, Chetan Chaudhary was allegedly called to the location, and the two accused are suspected of pushing Ketan into a gorge, leading to his death.
The investigation took a significant turn when Siya Goyal visited Ketan Agarwal's residence four days after his funeral. During the visit, Ketan's sister reportedly questioned her about the incident and found some of her responses unusual, raising suspicions within the family and prompting them to seek a closer examination of the circumstances surrounding his death.
PROBE UNCOVERED CHETAN'S MOVEMENTS
As the probe progressed, police uncovered extensive communication records between Siya Goyal and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary. Investigators found that the two had exchanged 2,004 phone calls between January and June and had spoken for a cumulative 238 hours during the six-month period.
Police also examined technical evidence linked to Chetan's movements on June 18, the day of Ketan's death. According to investigators, Chetan's internet connection remained switched off from 7 am until 5.40 pm. Officers suspect he deliberately left his personal mobile phone at his shop to avoid location tracking and travelled to Lohagad Fort carrying an employee's phone instead.
Investigators believe these findings played a crucial role in strengthening suspicions against the accused. The probe is continuing, and police are examining additional evidence to establish the sequence of events leading to Ketan Agarwal's death.
The Pune district court has remanded accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary to seven days of police custody in connection with the Lohagad Fort murder case. Lonavala Rural Police had sought their custodial interrogation to facilitate further investigation into the alleged killing of Ketan Agarwal. After hearing the matter, the court directed that both accused remain in police custody until June 29.
Pune Rural Police SP Sandeep Singh Gill said the two had confessed to the crime. Giving details, Gill said that Siya Goyal and Ketan Agarwal, who were engaged, had visited Lohagad Fort on June 18.
He said Siya Goyal called to report that Ketan Agarwal had slipped and fallen from the fort, resulting in his death. "Subsequent inquiries and information gathered from relatives and friends raised suspicions; it seemed unlikely for such an accident to occur spontaneously, especially given that Ketan was an experienced trekker. The family expressed doubts, and a formal complaint was lodged based on these suspicions," he said.
According to police, the investigation, aided by confidential inputs, witness statements and technical evidence, revealed that Siya Goyal was acquainted with Chetan Chaudhary and that the two had known each other for nearly a year.
Officials alleged that the pair conspired to kill Ketan Agarwal and executed the plan during a visit to Lohagad Fort, where he was allegedly pushed into a gorge, resulting in his death. Based on the findings, Lonavala Rural Police registered a murder case against both accused.
Police said Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been taken into custody and allegedly confessed to their involvement during questioning. Further investigation into the case is underway.
PREVIOUS MURDER ATTEMPT FAILED
According to investigators, Ketan and his fiancee Siya Goyal visited Lohagad Fort on May 31, during which she allegedly first conceived the plan to eliminate him. Police claim that a subsequent attempt was made on June 14, when Ketan was allegedly taken to the fort and efforts were made to push him into a valley after creating panic over a purported snake sighting. However, the plan allegedly failed and Ketan escaped unharmed.
Investigators further alleged that Siya Goyal then organised another visit to Lohagad Fort on June 18. During this trip, Chetan Chaudhary was allegedly called to the location, and the two accused are suspected of pushing Ketan into a gorge, leading to his death.
The investigation took a significant turn when Siya Goyal visited Ketan Agarwal's residence four days after his funeral. During the visit, Ketan's sister reportedly questioned her about the incident and found some of her responses unusual, raising suspicions within the family and prompting them to seek a closer examination of the circumstances surrounding his death.
PROBE UNCOVERED CHETAN'S MOVEMENTS
As the probe progressed, police uncovered extensive communication records between Siya Goyal and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary. Investigators found that the two had exchanged 2,004 phone calls between January and June and had spoken for a cumulative 238 hours during the six-month period.
Police also examined technical evidence linked to Chetan's movements on June 18, the day of Ketan's death. According to investigators, Chetan's internet connection remained switched off from 7 am until 5.40 pm. Officers suspect he deliberately left his personal mobile phone at his shop to avoid location tracking and travelled to Lohagad Fort carrying an employee's phone instead.
Investigators believe these findings played a crucial role in strengthening suspicions against the accused. The probe is continuing, and police are examining additional evidence to establish the sequence of events leading to Ketan Agarwal's death.
