What appeared to be a tragic accident on the eve of a birthday near Pune has now become a chilling murder investigation by Pune Police. They arrested 26-year-old Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary for the murder of Ketan Vishal Agarwal, son of a well-known Maharashtra businessman, in what investigators say is a carefully planned conspiracy.
Ketan Agarwal died when he fell into a valley at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. Goyal, who was engaged to Ketan and was going to marry him in November, said he slipped while taking pictures at the popular trekking spot. Ketan’s body turned up after several hours of rescue operation. But police soon found inconsistencies in the story.
Police insisted digital evidence, witness statements, CCTV footage and mobile phone records suggest that it was a premeditated act and not an accident. Siya Goyal was in a romantic relationship with Chetan Chaudhary, but was not inclined to carry out the arranged marriage due to family pressure, investigators found. Police say that they kept in touch with the couple and had made more than 2,000 phone calls in seven months. Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said investigators found evidence that an earlier attempt to attack Ketan had failed days before.
The case took a dramatic turn when CCTV footage showed Chaudhary following the couple on their tour to Lohagad Fort. Goyal had invited Ketan on the trek to celebrate her birthday, while Chaudhary was already there and waiting for them, police said. Ketan was pushed into the valley when there was an opportunity at the fort, police say. The two suspects admitted to conspiring to kill him, but the truth will be tested in court, they told us.
The tragedy has shocked both families due to the amount of wedding preparations already in place. Ketan, son of renowned construction businessman Vishal Agarwal of Pimpri-Chinchwad, was to marry Siya in a grand ceremony in November.
The families had booked a luxury palace in Rajasthan at a cost of nearly ₹17 crore and private aircraft had been arranged to transport guests. What was supposed to be one of the most lavish weddings of the year has turned into the centre of a shocking criminal investigation.
Police have registered a murder case and are looking for any other persons who might have assisted the accused. Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary are in police custody as officials collect more evidence. Trust, relationships and the lengths people may go to escape commitments they no longer want to honor have been widely discussed throughout the case.
