Ketan Agarwal Murder: Siya Goyal Disliked Ketan Agarwal's Wig, Police Say It Wasn't the Sole Motive; CM Fadnavis Intervenes

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday described the Ketan Agarwal murder case as "extremely shocking" and said it should not be viewed merely as a crime but also from a social perspective. He said society must reflect on the mindset that leads children from educated and well-settled families to develop such malicious thoughts.

Speaking to the media in Pune, the CM said, "This is an extremely shocking incident, something beyond imagination. It is the kind of incident that compels us, as a society, to seriously reflect. Why do children from educated and well-settled families develop such malicious and destructive thinking? What are the reasons behind this mindset? We need to think deeply about it. In reality, this case should not be viewed merely as a crime, but also from a social perspective. Society must consider what kind of environment and system needs to be created so that such cruel and revenge-driven thoughts do not develop in children at such a young age. This incident is truly very shocking."

His remarks came after Ketan Agarwal's father, Vishal Agarwal, met Fadnavis and demanded a fast-track trial and the strictest possible punishment for those responsible for his son's death.

Speaking to the media after meeting the CM, Vishal said Fadnavis assured him that he would personally monitor the case and ensure that all those found guilty are brought to justice at the earliest. He also claimed he suspects more people may have been involved in planning the murder. He alleged that accused Chetan Chaudhary and Sahil Goyal, Siya Goyal's brother, are close friends, raising suspicion that more individuals could have been part of the conspiracy.

What is the wig controversy?

A new angle has emerged in the alleged murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, with reports claiming that his fiancée, Siya Goyal, disliked him because he wore a wig. Police, however, said on Friday that while Agarwal did wear a hair patch, it cannot be said that this was the sole reason behind the alleged conspiracy to kill him.

A police source told PTI that Ketan wore a hair patch, but investigators had found no evidence to suggest it was the only factor behind Siya's alleged dislike for him.

Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, said the family had been transparent about the issue from the beginning and had informed Siya and her family before the engagement took place.

"It is true that Ketan wore a small patch of wig. Siya and her family were informed about it before the engagement. If she had any issues, she should have said no. What was the need to kill my son?" Vishal Agarwal told reporters.

Police believe the motive behind the crime was Siya's relationship with Chetan and her unwillingness to go ahead with the marriage.

Chetan 'instigated' Siya, claim police

The investigation has revealed that it was Chetan who allegedly encouraged Siya to eliminate her fiancé, a police official claimed on Friday.

"From the questioning of both the accused, it has come to light that it was Chaudhary who instigated Siya Goyal to eliminate Agarwal at Lohagad Fort," the official said.

Police had earlier stated that during separate interrogations, both Siya and Chetan initially tried to shift the blame onto each other before eventually admitting their roles in the conspiracy.

Investigators alleged that the duo, who had been in a relationship since October 2025, chose murder over eloping because they feared that running away together would bring disrepute to their families.

How the alleged murder unfolded

According to investigators, the murder was meticulously planned over several weeks and involved multiple failed attempts before June 18.

Police alleged that Siya had earlier taken Ketan to Lohagad Fort on May 31 and June 14 with the intention of killing him, but both attempts failed. Another proposed visit on June 4 was cancelled after Ketan's mother refused permission.

On June 18, police alleged that Siya gave Chetan a pre-decided signal by sitting near the edge of the cliff, after which Chetan approached and pushed an unsuspecting Ketan into the gorge.

"Ketan had no idea what was coming. He was pushed into the gorge before he realised anything," an officer involved in the probe had said earlier.

Investigators also claimed that Siya sabotaged the couple's planned pre-wedding shoot in Bali by secretly taking away Ketan's passport to prevent the trip from going ahead.

Call detail records analysed by police showed that Siya and Chetan exchanged more than 2,000 calls over the past year while carrying on their relationship in secret.

Ketan and Siya got engaged on February 19 after their families met at a wedding in Karnataka earlier that month. They were scheduled to marry later this year in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Siya's family disputes parts of the police narrative

Meanwhile, Siya's mother claimed that her daughter had been reluctant to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18 and had only agreed after repeated requests from Ketan and his mother.

"On the evening of June 17, Siya and Ketan had a video call during which Ketan asked her to accompany him to Lohagad. During the call, Ketan's mother also urged Siya to go with him. Siya told her she wanted to rest because there was a function the following day," she claimed.

Siya's father also dismissed reports that the families had arranged a lavish destination wedding involving a palace booking and chartered aircraft.

"It is true that the wedding was to take place in Udaipur. The hotel charged around ₹81,000 per couple per day, and we had booked 70 rooms. Our total expenditure on the wedding was not more than ₹3 crore," he said.

Fast-track trial, Ujjwal Nikam as prosecutor

In a significant development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Ketan's father in Pune on Friday and accepted the family's demand for a fast-track trial.

The state government also agreed to appoint noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor in the case.

Speaking after the meeting, Fadnavis said the case pointed to a worrying social trend.

"We need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and a desire for revenge. This is not merely a criminal issue; it also has a social angle. Society must create a strong support system to ensure such vengeful thinking does not develop among young people," he said.