The Pune Rural Police have arrested Ketan Agarwal’s fiancée Siya Goyal and her lover Chetan Chaudhary in connection with his murder at Lohagad Fort. However, investigators remain uncertain about which of the two accused physically pushed Agarwal off the cliff to his death.

Agarwal’s death at Lohagad Fort on June 18, initially registered as an accidental fall, has been reclassified as a pre-planned murder following a police investigation. The Pune Rural Police have arrested Ms. Goyal and her associate Mr. Chaudhary. The investigation has shown that the couple had conducted reconnaissance of the location twice before the incident.

SP Sandeep Singh Gill inspected the crime scene at the base of Lohagad Fort along with the forensic department team on Wednesday evening, seeking physical evidence to establish the sequence of events leading to Agarwal’s fall.

According to the police investigation, Ms. Goyal and Mr. Chaudhary allegedly acted in concert to kill Agarwal. However, investigators have not determined whether it was Ms. Goyal, walking alongside her fiance at the time of the incident, who pushed him over, or whether it was Mr. Chaudhary, waiting at the location, who delivered the fatal shove. The police are examining forensic evidence and witness statements to ascertain this detail.

Hoodie on a hot day

Two actions by Mr. Chaudhary put him under suspicion. One, he left his mobile phone at home to avoid his location being traced to the Lohagad area, the police said. He carried the mobile phone of an employee and used it to communicate with Ms. Goyal through WhatsApp, in a bid to mislead the police investigation.

Two, CCTV footage from the ticket counter shows Agarwal and his fiancee walking together. A young man in shorts and a hoodie pulled over his face, wearing a headset, can be seen following them at a distance. In one clip, Ms. Goyal can be seen looking back, after which the young man in the hoodie can be seen sitting down quickly. The temperature at the location on June 18 was recorded at 33 degrees Celsius, leading the police to question why anyone would wear a hoodie in such weather. The police compared Mr. Chaudhary’s photographs and social media profiles with the individual in the CCTV footage and the resemblance led to his detention.

The police also examined call records and digital communication data. The investigation found that Ms. Goyal and Mr. Chaudhary maintained regular communication over an extended period. Between January 1 and June 18, the two had made 2,004 calls to each other. This communication pattern provided evidence of their relationship. Police said the pair had developed a close relationship over the past year through business interactions. Consequently, Ms. Goyal did not wish to marry Agarwal. Her birthday was on June 19, and she did not oeven want to celebrate it with her fiance, police said.

’Dishonour to the family’

During interrogation, Mr. Chaudhary was asked why he and his lover did not simply elope and marry, but he said that Ms. Goyal did not want to break her engagement to Agarwal and run away with him, as she believed it would bring dishonour to her family.

Though the engaged couple had planned a trip to Bali, Ms. Goyal took Agarwal’s passport to ensure the trip was cancelled. On June 18, she brought her fiance to Lohagad on the pretext of a trek.

After Agarwal fell from the cliff, Ms. Goyal raised an alarm and called the security guards. She also contacted her fiance’s family members and claimed that he had slipped and fallen. The police initially registered the case as an accidental death. However, the suspicious presence of a person in a hoodie at the fort led the police to investigate further.

When presented with evidence, the accused pair allegedly confessed to their involvement in the crime. The police have registered a case under charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. The investigation continues, as police seek to determine which of the accused physically pushed Agarwal off the cliff. The Pune Rural Police are proceeding with legal action in the case.