As new details emerge in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, sources connected with the investigation claimed that accused Chetan Chaudhary, along with his alleged lover and the victim's fiancée Siya Goyal, "masterminded" the murder to prevent her arranged marriage.
The FIR filed by Ketan's father, Vishal Devichand Agarwal, reportedly alleges that both Chetan and Siya pushed his son off a cliff near Pune's Lohagad Fort.
According to police, Ketan left home on the morning of June 18, picked up Siya from Kiwale bridge on the Pune-Mumbai highway and headed to Lohagad Fort. At around 10.45 a.m., Siya called Ketan's mother, claiming that he had accidentally fallen into a gorge. Locals and police later rescued Ketan and rushed him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The case was initially treated as an accidental fall during a trek, but the investigation later took a different turn.
According to the police investigation, Siya allegedly wanted "three years of freedom." Sources claimed that Chetan had asked her to wait for at least three years before marrying him, as he wanted to establish his career. However, Siya's marriage to Ketan had already been fixed for November. Investigators believe the two allegedly conspired to kill Ketan to delay the marriage and "buy time."
Police further alleged that Siya had made multiple attempts to lure Ketan to Lohagad Fort. The couple first visited the fort on May 31. On June 4, Siya allegedly insisted on another visit, but Ketan's mother did not allow him to go. During another visit on June 14, investigators claim Siya allegedly attempted to push Ketan off a cliff. According to police, Ketan managed to save himself by grabbing a bush. When he questioned Siya, she allegedly claimed she had seen a snake and pushed him to protect him.
A major point of contention in the investigation is the cancelled June 4 trip, which reportedly left Siya upset and led her to repeatedly insist that Ketan take her to Lohagad Fort.
According to sources, Chetan meticulously planned the murder on June 18. At around 7 a.m., he allegedly switched off his mobile data to prevent cell towers from creating a location trail. Around 8 a.m., he left his personal phone at his shop and instructed employees to answer incoming calls, creating the impression that he had never left the premises.
Around noon, he allegedly borrowed an employee's phone to communicate while travelling to Lohagad Fort.
At around 2 p.m., investigators claim Chetan followed Ketan and Siya up the fort trail wearing a thick winter hoodie despite the 33-degree Celsius summer heat, allegedly to conceal his identity from security personnel. Police later identified the unusual clothing through CCTV footage.
According to investigators, once the trio reached a secluded cliff near the Vinchu Kata ridge, Siya allegedly sat down as a pre-arranged visual cue. Chetan then allegedly emerged from hiding and pushed Ketan nearly 400 feet into the gorge.
Police claim Chetan remained off the digital grid for nearly 10 hours and 40 minutes before switching his internet back on at around 5.40 p.m., believing his efforts to conceal his movements had succeeded. However, investigators became suspicious because of his prolonged offline period, CCTV footage showing his distinctive winter attire, and phone records indicating someone else had been answering calls on his mobile.
The family also alleged that Siya's phone was frequently busy and that she often mentioned her "friend" Chetan, leading them to suspect the two were in a romantic relationship.
Meanwhile, Pune Rural Police recreated the crime scene at Lohagad Fort as part of the investigation.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Lonavala Division) Gajanan Tompe said, "Today, according to Siya's description, we recreated the crime scene at Lohagad Fort. The Superintendent of Police and other senior officials were also present during the recreation."
"Siya is currently an accused in this case, and the investigation is ongoing accordingly," he told IANS.
Police used a fibre-made dummy during the reconstruction.
According to officials, Siya allegedly disclosed the entire conspiracy during the recreation. Investigators said she admitted that she and Chetan had planned to kill Ketan.
According to police, Siya was supposed to walk ahead to a higher point and pretend to tie her shoelaces. As she bent down, Chetan allegedly approached Ketan from behind and pushed him into the gorge. Police said Ketan fell nearly 300 feet and died on the spot.
The entire reconstruction, including Siya's alleged confession, was video-recorded and will form part of the ongoing investigation.
Investigators have also claimed that Siya and Chetan had searched online for ways to kill Ketan before the incident. According to reports, the two allegedly visited Lohagad Fort alone before the crime to rehearse the murder and even prepared answers in case they were questioned by police. They also allegedly planned to disguise themselves during the murder to avoid suspicion.
Police further alleged that both accused systematically deleted their phone chats and emptied their recycle bins before and after the incident. Their mobile phones have since been sent to a forensic laboratory in an attempt to recover deleted data.
So far, statements of seven people have been recorded in the case.
Among those questioned is Neeraj, an employee at Chetan's shop, who was detained and interrogated for over 24 hours. Police said they found no evidence of his direct involvement. However, investigators said Neeraj confirmed that Chetan had used his mobile phone on the day of the incident. Police are now considering making him a key witness because Chetan allegedly left his own phone behind and used Neeraj's device to communicate with Siya.
Meanwhile, Siya's parents have publicly stated that if their daughter is found guilty by a court, she should receive the strictest punishment under the law. They also made an emotional remark, saying she should be pushed from the same spot from where Ketan allegedly fell to his death.
Siya's mother, however, has maintained that her daughter did not wish to go trekking and that it was Ketan's idea. She further alleged that Ketan's mother persuaded Siya to accompany him.
According to police, Siya met Chetan during a business meeting last year, and the two allegedly entered into a relationship in November 2025 while preparations for her marriage to Ketan were underway. Siya owned a bakery, Chetan ran a dry fruit business, and Ketan was the Director and Chief Marketing Officer of his family's real estate firm, Success Group.
The investigation and legal proceedings in the case are ongoing.
