The investigation into the Ketan Agarwal murder case has taken a significant turn after Pune Police uncovered new details suggesting that the accused had initially planned only to seriously injure the victim before later deciding to kill him. Investigators say the conspiracy was developed over several weeks, with repeated planning sessions, reconnaissance visits and multiple failed attempts before the fatal incident at Lohagad Fort on 18 June.
According to investigators, the two main accused—Siya Goyal, Ketan's fiancée, and her alleged boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary—began discussing ways to prevent Ketan from marrying Siya. Police allege that their first plan was to cause injuries severe enough to postpone the wedding, but they later abandoned that idea after concluding it was too risky and unlikely to solve their problem permanently. Investigators say the plan was then changed to murder.
Police claim that the accused finalized their conspiracy by the end of May and carried out repeated preparations before the crime. Investigators have alleged that the pair conducted reconnaissance at Lohagad Fort, studied the terrain and selected locations where they believed the incident could be made to appear accidental. Authorities also allege that they rehearsed aspects of the plan before the day of the crime.
The victim, 25-year-old realtor Ketan Agarwal, died after falling into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort on 18 June. Initially, the incident was reported as an accidental fall during a visit to the fort. However, inconsistencies in statements, CCTV footage, digital evidence and witness accounts prompted police to launch a detailed investigation, which later led to the arrest of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary on murder charges.
Investigators say mobile phone records became a crucial part of the case. Police have alleged that the accused remained in frequent contact before the incident and that forensic analysis of digital evidence helped reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to Ketan's death. Officials have also stated that attempts were allegedly made to delete conversations after the incident, and those electronic records are being examined as part of the investigation.
Earlier stages of the investigation also revealed that the accused allegedly visited the fort on previous occasions before the fatal incident. Police believe these visits were intended to identify a suitable location and test different plans. Investigators have since recreated the crime scene at Lohagad Fort as part of the evidence-gathering process.
During interrogation, both accused reportedly blamed each other for planning the crime. According to police, each claimed that the other had proposed the murder. Investigators, however, maintain that the available evidence points to a jointly planned conspiracy rather than the actions of a single individual.
The investigation has also focused on the alleged motive. Police say the wedding between Ketan and Siya had been arranged and was scheduled for later this year, while Siya was allegedly in a relationship with Chetan. Investigators believe the accused feared family and social consequences if the marriage was called off, which they claim contributed to the alleged conspiracy.
Both accused remain in judicial custody as the investigation continues. Police are awaiting additional forensic reports and are continuing to examine digital devices, call records and other evidence collected during the probe. Authorities have not yet filed the final chargesheet, and the case remains under investigation.
The Ketan Agarwal case has attracted nationwide attention because of the detailed planning alleged by investigators and the dramatic shift from what initially appeared to be an accidental death to a suspected premeditated murder. The case is expected to proceed through the judicial process as investigators complete their evidence collection.