Police are investigating the alleged murder of realtor Pune Ketan, engaged to Sia, who is accused of conspiring with her “boyfriend” Chetan to kill him in Lohagad.
It was supposed to be a big wedding in November in Udaipur, with a palace venue, elaborate arrangements and families preparing for the celebrations. Instead, the engagement between 25-year-old Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal and Sia Goyal is now at the center of a murder investigation after police alleged Sia. 20-year-old Chetan Chaudhary and 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary – believed to be a man with whom she was in a relationship – conspired to kill Ketan at Lohagad Fort near Lonavala in Maharashtra on June 18.
The exact motive behind the alleged crime is still under investigation, with multiple theories – most surrounding Sia’s alleged reluctance to marry – emerging during the investigation, the latest being that she was not happy about Ketan wearing a wig.
Ketan, 25, son of businessman Vishal Agarwal, and Siya, 20, got engaged in February, and their wedding date is set for November. According to police, investigation later revealed that Sia and Chetan were in a relationship despite her engagement to Ketan.
Big indian wedding plan
Estimates of the size of wedding celebrations have varied. While police sources quoted by HT earlier said that the families have booked a palace in Udaipur and are expected to spend there $14 crore in celebrations, however, other reports have put the number as high as Rs 14 crore $17 Crores.
The arrangements included two private planes for the guests, according to an NDTV report, citing sources. Preparations for the wedding were underway before Ketan’s death.
According to reports, preparations for the wedding were in full swing before the alleged crime occurred.
Pooja Goyal, Sia’s mother, also told HT about the scale of the wedding preparations, saying that the families had planned an elaborate ceremony in Udaipur.
“For the wedding, we booked Ananta Resort in Udaipur. The cost was close $3 crore, and we were ready to spend $“Rs 5 crore for the wedding,” she said.
Ketan Agarwal’s death: What has the probe found so far?
Ketan, who was a director at Success Group and earned a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business in Boston, joined his family’s company in 2023.
The relationship between the two families also seemed friendly. Police said Sia’s family and Chetan’s family knew each other through business circles.
HT had earlier reported that police had examined detailed call records of Siya and Chetan as part of the investigation. A senior police officer said the two men spoke 2,004 times between January 1 and June 18, spending about 238 hours on calls during this period.
“After analyzing the CDR data between the accused, we noticed that there were more than 2,004 calls between them, with an average of 8-10 calls per day,” Dinesh Tayadi, senior police inspector of Lonavla Rural Police Station and investigating officer, told HT.
“Yes, we have recovered calls and conversations between Sia and her boyfriend, and the analysis of this data is still ongoing,” Pune Rural Police Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill told HT.
Police are investigating whether the alleged relationship and pressure surrounding the engagement played any role in the alleged plot. An officer familiar with the investigation told HT that investigators were looking into the possibility that Sia feared the social consequences of ending the engagement.
“Given the societal pressure and her family’s image, she did not have the option of eloping with Chetan. Hence, she may have decided to find a middle way to ensure that she does not marry Ketan while keeping her family status intact,” the officer said.
The “murder” plan devised by Siya Chetan
Police allege that instead of calling off the engagement, Siya and Chetan planned to kill Ketan and tried to make it look like an accidental fall during a trip. However, the case is still under investigation and police are examining evidence to determine the sequence of events and the exact motive.
But the investigation into Ketan’s death changed the narrative about the wedding plans. The hoodie that Chetan was wearing on a hot June morning became one of the clues that raised suspicions, police said. “When we checked the temperature on June 18, it was 33 degrees Celsius that morning. While examining CCTV footage from the hillsides, we noticed a person wearing a hoodie with his head covered and also wearing headphones. This raised suspicions as such clothing was unusual considering the weather conditions,” Senior Police Inspector Tayadee had earlier said.
Investigators later identified the person as Chetan, who police claimed tried to avoid being tracked by leaving his phone behind. Police said they are examining call logs, conversations, phone locations and other evidence as part of the ongoing investigation.
Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, had earlier said that Sia’s behavior after the death raised questions in the family.
“When the body was recovered and all our family members were shocked, Siya was behaving like a very normal person, which my daughter noticed for the first time,” he said.
He added: “Maybe she was preparing for a counter-action and was therefore asking about further police measures and procedures.”
