The death of 25-year-old businessman Ketan Vishal Agarwal at Lohagad Fort in Pune district has taken a dramatic turn, with police now treating the case as a suspected murder conspiracy rather than an accidental fall.
Ketan died on June 18 after reportedly falling from a section of the historic fort while on an outing with his fiancée, Siya Goyal, to celebrate her birthday. Initially, police registered an accidental death report based on Siya's statement that Ketan had slipped while taking photographs near the edge of the fort.
However, the investigation intensified after Ketan's family challenged the accident theory. Family members told police that Ketan was an experienced trekker and unlikely to have lost his balance at the location where he fell.
According to Pune Rural Police, a key breakthrough came during an examination of CCTV footage from the foothills of Lohagad Fort. Investigators noticed an individual wearing a hoodie with his head covered despite temperatures reaching around 33 degrees Celsius that morning. The unusual clothing attracted attention and led police to identify the individual as 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary.
Police allege that Chaudhary attempted to avoid detection by leaving his mobile phone at his residence in Kondhwa before travelling to the fort. Investigators subsequently analysed CCTV footage, call records, phone location data and messages before questioning both Chaudhary and Siya Goyal.
According to police, the investigation revealed that Siya and Chaudhary were acquainted for about a year and were allegedly involved in a relationship. Officers claim that Chaudhary reached the fort before the couple and followed them to a relatively isolated location.
Police allege that the two conspired to kill Ketan and pushed him into a valley, leading to his death. Authorities say both accused admitted to involvement in the conspiracy during interrogation. Based on the findings, police have arrested Chaudhary and Siya and registered a case under provisions related to murder and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Ketan belonged to a prominent business family and served as a director of Success Group, a company involved in industrial and warehousing development. He had completed a master's degree in entrepreneurship from Babson's F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business in Boston in 2023 before joining the family business.
His marriage to Siya had been fixed earlier this year, with the wedding scheduled for November. Police said the families had already begun preparations for the ceremony.
The investigation also uncovered details relating to a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali that was cancelled after Ketan's passport reportedly went missing. Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, has alleged that Siya misplaced the passport during the journey, forcing the cancellation of the trip.
Police further stated that Ketan and Siya had visited Lohagad Fort on June 14, four days before the incident. No complaint was filed at the time, but Ketan's father has alleged that his son had previously felt someone attempting to push him at the same location. He claimed Ketan managed to save himself and that the incident was dismissed after a distraction was created.
Authorities have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that all claims, allegations and evidence are being examined as part of the probe. The allegations against the accused will be subject to judicial scrutiny as the case proceeds through the legal process.
Sources: Hindustan Times
