The death of Pune-based businessman Ketan Agarwal, initially treated as an accidental fall in Lohagad Fort, took a dramatic turn after police alleged that his fiancée and her friend conspired to kill him. Agarwal, 25, died after falling into a gorge at the historic fort near Lonavala on June 18. Investigators now allege that his fiancée, Sia Goyal, and her lover, Chetan Chaudhary, planned and carried out the murder. Both were arrested and confessed.
A young businessman from a real estate family
Ketan Agarwal belongs to a prominent business family in Pune and worked as a director at Success Group, a company engaged in industrial, commercial and residential real estate development, with a focus on warehousing and logistics infrastructure.
According to the company’s website, Agarwal played a key role in the group’s strategic marketing, business development and custom real estate projects. He also participated in initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable growth and operational efficiency.
He was educated in India and the United States
Ketan holds a master’s degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Babson College in Massachusetts, one of the world’s leading institutions in entrepreneurship studies. Prior to that, he earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management from Symbiosis International University.
His academic training was complemented by internships and professional assignments with companies including Mahindra Logistics, KSH Distriparks and Future Group, where he worked in logistics planning, market strategy and data-driven business operations.
After completing his graduate studies in the United States in 2023, he joined the family business and took on a greater leadership role within the organization.
The wedding is planned for November
Police said Ketan Agarwal got engaged to Siya Goyal earlier this year, and they were scheduled to get married in November.
According to investigators, preparations for the wedding were already underway, with the two families reportedly having booked a palace in Udaipur for the celebrations. The wedding was expected to be a lavish celebration in the presence of family, friends and work colleagues.
Friends and relatives described Agarwal as ambitious and deeply involved in expanding the family’s business interests.
From a birthday outing to a murder investigation
On June 18, Ketan traveled to Lohagad Fort with Sia as part of her birthday celebrations. The case was initially registered as accidental death after Goyal claimed that he slipped while taking photographs near the edge of a cliff, police said.
The investigation took a turn after Agarwal’s family cast doubt on the accident theory, insisting that he was an experienced traveler and unlikely to have lost his footing so easily.
Police later examined CCTV footage, phone records, location data and digital evidence. Investigators claim that Chaudhry reached the fort before the couple and followed them to an isolated place. According to police, he and Goyal then pushed Agarwal into the valley.
Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said evidence collected during the investigation, including call logs and messages, pointed to a deliberate conspiracy.
Passport ring under the scanner
Investigators are also looking into a previous incident involving a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali.
According to Agarwal’s father, the flight was canceled after Ketan’s passport disappeared while the group was traveling to the Mumbai airport. Goyal allegedly handled the passport shortly before his disappearance.
Police also confirmed that Agarwal and Goyal had visited Lohagad Fort four days before his death. Family members claimed there may have been a previous attempt to harm him during that visit, although police said all aspects of the case were still under investigation.
