Accused in Ketan Agarwal murder surveyed sites before selecting Lohagad Fort

The two accused in the Ketan Agarwal murder case allegedly surveyed several locations, including Tiger Point in Lonavala and Visapur Fort, before selecting Lohagad Fort to carry out their plan, Pune Rural Police stated on Tuesday.

Police reported that Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Babulal Chaudhary exchanged photographs of various sites and evaluated which location would best enable them to make the death appear accidental while leaving minimal evidence.

Authorities claimed the accused initially intended to injure Agarwal in a staged accident to delay a planned trip to Bali but later abandoned this idea out of concern that he might expose them if he survived. Investigators noted that the alleged conspiracy accelerated before the trip, which was eventually cancelled.

The investigation revealed that the accused conducted internet searches, watched crime-related films, and discussed various methods before concluding that pushing the victim off a cliff would make the death look incidental.

Police stated that Goyal had previously visited Lohagad Fort with Agarwal for reconnaissance and made an unsuccessful attempt to kill him on June 14. After this attempt failed, Chaudhary reportedly joined the plan’s execution. On June 18, the two allegedly pushed Ketan into a gorge at Lohagad Fort, causing his death.

Authorities have so far ruled out any contract killing angle, indicating that the motive was to eliminate Agarwal, whom the accused saw as an obstacle to their relationship.

Both Goyal and Chaudhary are currently held in judicial custody at Yerawada Central Jail as further investigations continue.

Ketan Agarwal was allegedly murdered at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18 by his fiancée Siya Goyal and her friend and alleged lover Chetan Babulal Chaudhary. The investigation remains ongoing.