Fiancée Siya Goyal accused of pushing groom-to-be Ketan Agarwal off Lohagad fort with lover's help

PUNE: What first appeared to be a tragic fall during a visit to Lohagad Fort has now turned into a shocking murder investigation, with Pune police alleging that 29-year-old businessman Ketan Agarwal was pushed to his death by the woman he was set to marry.

Ketan, a Pune-based realtor, died on June 18 after falling into a gorge at Lohagad Fort. His fiancée, Siya Goyal, initially informed his family that he had slipped and fallen during their visit. But days later, police registered a murder case after Ketan’s family raised doubts over the circumstances of his death.

The case has now taken a dramatic turn, with investigators alleging that Siya and her suspected lover, Chetan Chaudhary, planned the killing because Ketan had become an obstacle in their relationship.

According to the FIR filed by Ketan’s father, Vishal Devichand Agarwal, Ketan and Siya had been engaged since February and were expected to get married in November. However, in the days before his death, Ketan had allegedly told his family that Siya had started behaving strangely and was arguing with him over small matters.

The FIR states that Siya had been insisting on visiting Lohagad Fort with Ketan. An earlier plan for June 4 did not take place, but on June 17, she allegedly contacted Ketan again and used her upcoming birthday as a reason to convince his family to allow the trip the next day.

On the morning of June 18, Ketan left home, picked up Siya from Kiwale bridge on the Pune-Mumbai highway and went to Lohagad Fort. Hours later, his family received a call from Siya saying Ketan had fallen into a gorge.

Police and locals later recovered him from the spot and rushed him to hospital, where he was declared dead.

But the victim’s family was not convinced. After visiting the location on June 21, they claimed that the spot did not appear to support the theory of an accidental fall. Their complaint led police to dig deeper into the case.

Investigators are now examining whether the fort visit was part of a pre-planned murder. Police suspect that Siya and Chetan were in a relationship and allegedly decided to kill Ketan instead of calling off the engagement.

The probe has also expanded to Siya’s family. Her parents have been questioned, while her brother Sahil Goyal was reportedly questioned for several hours as police try to determine whether the family knew about her alleged relationship with Chetan before the engagement.

A viral video allegedly showing Siya and Chetan together at a cricket stadium has added another twist to the case. Investigators are examining the video as part of their effort to establish the timeline and nature of their relationship.

Police are also analysing call records and mobile phone data. Reports citing investigators claim that Siya and Chetan were in frequent contact and that deleted chats and phone records are being recovered to understand what happened before and after Ketan’s death.

The case has drawn wide attention in India because of the disturbing allegations: a groom-to-be, a planned wedding, a fort visit, an alleged secret relationship and a death first presented as an accident.

Reports citing police sources have also claimed that Siya allegedly told investigators that killing Ketan seemed easier than confronting her family and cancelling the wedding. However, any such alleged confession remains subject to legal scrutiny and the ongoing investigation.

The Maharashtra government has approved a fast-track court for the case. Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam has been appointed as special public prosecutor after the victim’s family demanded speedy proceedings.

Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary remain in police custody as investigators continue to build the case around digital evidence, family statements, call records and the events leading up to Ketan Agarwal’s death.