Lohagad Fort murder: How Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary turned on each other in Ketan Agarwal's case

Days after Pune real estate executive Ketan Agarwal died after falling into a gorge at Lohagad Fort near Lonavla, the investigation has taken a new turn. According to The Times of India, his fiancée Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, both arrested in the case, are now accusing each other of planning and carrying out the alleged murder.

Sources told TOI that the two, currently in police custody, have given contradictory versions of the incident after being confronted during questioning.

Police sources said the investigation has found that Goyal and Chaudhary had allegedly been in contact for several months and met at a city café a day before Agarwal's death. Investigators suspect the meeting was part of the alleged planning behind the crime.

The incident, which occurred on June 18, was initially treated as an accidental fall after Goyal told police and Agarwal's family that he had slipped while posing for a photograph. However, investigators later alleged that Agarwal was pushed from the cliff by Goyal, Chaudhary, or both.

According to police, the accused turned against each other during interrogation, with each allegedly blaming the other for masterminding the crime. Investigators are now examining their statements alongside call detail records, CCTV footage and other evidence to establish the sequence of events.

Police are also probing the alleged planning behind the incident, including the selection of the location, movement of the accused and their respective roles on the day of the incident.

How The Investigation Unfolded

Ketan Agarwal, 26, was the director and chief marketing officer of Success Group, a family-run real estate business in Pune.

His death initially appeared to be an accident, but investigators grew suspicious after learning that Agarwal was an experienced trekker. His family also questioned the accident theory and filed a complaint, prompting police to examine electronic evidence and witness accounts.

According to investigators, June 18 — a day before Goyal's birthday — she allegedly insisted on visiting Lohagad Fort. Police said the couple left Gahunje around 8.30 am, while Chaudhary had allegedly reached the fort earlier on a two-wheeler.

A police official said on Wednesday that Goyal and Chaudhary had allegedly met at a café the previous day to discuss a plan to eliminate Agarwal and identify a spot from where he could be pushed.

Investigators suspect the location was chosen because visitor numbers are relatively low between Monday and Wednesday. Police are also probing whether reconnaissance visits were carried out before the incident.

Police alleged that Chaudhary spent less than 10 minutes at the top of the fort and completed the trek in under 50 minutes. To avoid detection, he allegedly left his own mobile phone at his shop in Pune's Market Yard and carried an employee's phone instead. The employee is currently being questioned.

Investigators allege that Agarwal was pushed into a 400-foot gorge. Police said Goyal later informed family members and local authorities, maintaining that it had been an accident.

CCTV, Call Records Under Scanner

Investigators said CCTV footage from the fort's ticket counter became a key piece of evidence.

The footage allegedly showed Agarwal and Goyal walking together while another man, wearing shorts and a hoodie despite the hot weather, followed them at a short distance.

"We checked the temperature for that time on June 18 and found it was 33 degrees Celsius. Why would anyone wear a hoodie in that heat?" a police official said.

Police alleged that the hooded man was later identified as Chaudhary by comparing CCTV visuals with photographs from his social media accounts.

Investigators also examined call records, which they claimed showed more than 2,000 conversations between Goyal and Chaudhary over six months, amounting to approximately 238 hours of calls.

Following the investigation, Chaudhary was taken into custody. Goyal was arrested soon afterwards, and a Wadgaon Maval court remanded both accused to police custody until June 29.

Police Probe Alleged Earlier Attempts, Motive

Police are also investigating claims that there were three earlier attempts to kill Agarwal before June 18.

Investigators alleged that an attempt was made on May 31, another on June 4 and a third on June 14, but each was unsuccessful for different reasons.

Police further alleged that Goyal deliberately damaged Agarwal's passport before a planned Bali trip, claiming Chaudhary had opposed the vacation.

According to investigators, the alleged motive was that Goyal no longer wished to go ahead with the marriage but also did not want to call it off publicly because of concerns about family reputation.

Speaking earlier, Agarwal's father Vishal Agarwal questioned why the marriage had not simply been cancelled.

"If she didn't want to marry my son, she could have simply said so. We would have cancelled the wedding immediately. Why did they decide to take such a drastic step?" he said.

He further alleged, "When the police came with my son's body, Siya did not show any reaction. There was no sadness on her face."

Ketan Agarwal's mother has demanded the death penalty for the accused, while his father has called for a fast-track trial.