The death of a 26-year-old real estate manager Ketan Agrawal, who was pushed about 400 feet into Maharashtra’s Lohagad Fort on June 18, was initially treated as an accident.
Investigators now say a combination of CCTV evidence, a canceled flight to Bali and a suspicious man wearing a hoodie helped unlock an alleged conspiracy involving his fiancée, Sia Goyal, and her reported lover.
Read also | How her fiancée and her lover conspired to kill a Pune man in Lohagad fort after a ‘first failed attempt’
The Bali trip that never happened
Police said the couple planned a pre-wedding photo trip to Bali, Thailand, in the first week of June. The plan fell apart at the last minute.
“The investigation revealed that Siya took Ketan’s passport and misplaced it so that they could not travel to Bali,” Pune Rural Police Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill said.
The couple reached the Mumbai airport, but the flight was canceled after Ketan’s passport disappeared. “After they came back, they planned the next step,” Gill said.
Hoodie that stood out
During investigation, Pune Police checked CCTV footage and discovered a youth following the couple’s car.
Officers found it suspicious, especially because he was wearing a hoodie despite the extreme heat, News18 reported. These details will later become a major key.
SP Sandeep Gill said investigators used call detail records, IPDR analysis, CCTV footage, statements of relatives and witnesses, along with technical evidence to build the case.
Two visits to Lohagad Fort
Police said Ketan and Sia visited Lohagad Fort on June 14, but nothing happened that day.
On June 18, things allegedly changed. Sia’s alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, reportedly arrived at the spot after the couple and pushed Ketan from the fort, according to police.
CCTV track
Speaking at a press conference, Gill later explained how the case went from an accident to a murder.
Initially, the case was ruled an accident as Sia Goyal’s fiancé fell into a gorge while posing for photos a few days before their wedding.
Her Instagram story later read: “You left me on my birthday. You left when we were so close to getting married. I still can’t understand why you did this to me. I had dreams, questions that I will never get answers to. Why did you leave me when I loved you so much? Rest in peace,” the post read.
The police then tracked CCTV footage from the roads leading to the fort and noticed a young man traveling behind the couple’s car. The same man wearing a hoodie was later seen near the accident site. The discovery helped link him to Siya Goyal, police said.
Conspiracy and confession
According to the police, Siya Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, were in a relationship. Investigators say Siya did not want to marry Ketan and viewed him as an obstacle. They allegedly conspired to kill him and planned the attack during a trip to Lohagad Fort.
Read also | New development in Pune man’s death during Lohagad trip as fiancé and friend held for ‘murder’
Police claimed that once the three were at the site, Ketan was attacked and then pushed out of the fort.
“The two had known each other for about a year,” Gill said. “They conspired to carry out this plan; at Lohagad Fort, they pushed Ketan Agarwal, causing him to fall to his death.”
“Following a complaint filed by Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, the rural police in Lonavala registered a case of murder and criminal conspiracy under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Tuesday,” Gill said.
Father’s allegations and arrest
Ketan’s father told HT that the duo planned to kill him days ago.
“On June 18, my 26-year-old son fell from Lohagad Fort and died. Initially, we thought it was an accidental slip, just as Siya Goyal had told us. But her suspicious statements and behavior later made us realize that this was not a simple accident,” she said.
He also claimed that “both Sia and her accomplice confessed to the murder after their arrest and confessed that they conspired and planned to kill him.”
“They also revealed that they initially planned to kill him on June 14 but failed, and subsequently brought him back to the fort on June 18 to carry out the crime. I strongly believe that Siya Goyal’s parents, brother and aunt could also be involved, as they knew everything from the beginning. I hope that everyone else involved in this heinous crime will also be brought to justice.”
Both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary are currently appearing in court as the investigation continues.
(With inputs from Yogesh M Joshi)
