Siya Goyal did not run away fearing ‘family shame’, Chetan tells police what led to the murder plot

As investigators pieced together the events that led to the death of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal, one question kept surfacing: If Sia Goyal wanted to be with another man, why didn’t she simply call off the wedding?

Police now claim to have an answer.

During interrogation, Chetan Chaudhary allegedly told investigators that an elopement was discussed but rejected because Sia believed it would tarnish her family’s reputation. Instead, police allege, the couple decided to remove Ketan from the photo entirely.

“Chetan was asked why they did not think of eloping and instead chose to eliminate Ketan. According to him, Sia was not in favor of breaking off their engagement and eloping with Chetan, as she thought doing so would bring disrespect to her family,” a police official told news agency PTI.

The case, initially registered as an accidental fall during a ride, has since turned into a murder investigation, with police accusing Sia, 20, and her alleged boyfriend Chetan, 22, of conspiring to murder the 25-year-old businessman weeks before their planned wedding.

According to the Pune Rural Police, forensic examination of the accused’s mobile phones revealed internet searches related to Ketan’s killing methods. Officials say the digital trail, along with call logs and location data, indicates the murder was planned in advance.

Police also analyzed the couple’s call detail records and found that Sia and Chetan spoke 2,004 times between January 1 and June 18. The conversations totaled approximately 238 hours, averaging eight to ten phone calls per day over approximately six months.

Investigators said that communications did not stop after Ketan’s death. Calls and messages exchanged between the two after the incident are also being examined as part of the investigation.

According to investigators, Siya was in a relationship with Chetan for more than a year. During interrogation, she allegedly told police that she wanted to end their engagement, but Ketan wanted to go ahead with the marriage.

The officers claim that despite this, she was not ready to publicly break off the alliance or elope with Chetan as she feared the social consequences for her family.

Investigators claim this became the motive behind the plot.

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At around 10.45am, Ketan’s family received a phone call informing them that he had slipped into a ravine while taking photos.

Investigators now claim the fall was staged. According to police, Chetan had reached the fort earlier, followed the couple to a secluded place, and along with Siya pushed Ketan into the valley before making it look like an accident.

His father, Vishal Agarwal, said the family became suspicious after noticing Sia’s behavior after the incident.

“We were devastated, but Sia seemed unusually calm. My daughter was the first to notice it,” he told HT.

According to the family, while the relatives were grieving, Sia was interacting with police officers at the site and asking about formalities. These observations prompted the family to urge the police to examine the case more closely.

Investigators then began analyzing the digital evidence, eventually revealing the alleged relationship between Siya and Chetan.

According to investigators, his mobile internet remained off from approximately 7am to 5.40pm on June 18. Instead of carrying his own phone, police allege he left it at his family’s shop and traveled with an employee’s phone, making it difficult to track his movements.

The investigation also found that callers who tried to reach Chetan on his phone that day were answered by staff at the store, adding to police suspicions.

Earlier in the investigation, CCTV footage showed a masked man following Ketan and Sia into the fort despite temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius. Investigators later identified the man as Chetan.

But Chetan’s family denied the allegations. His father, Babulal Chaudhary, claimed that his son was falsely implicated and asserted that Chetan walked away from the couple in the fort.

Meanwhile, investigators say they are continuing to analyze forensic evidence, digital communications and witness statements as the high-profile case develops.