As the investigation into the alleged murder of 25-year-old Ketan Agarwal unfolds, police are probing the conduct of the two arrested accused – Ketan’s fiancée Siya Goyal, 20, and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary, 22.
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Police say Siya and Chetan met at a café in Kondhwa in Pune the day before they allegedly pushed Ketan off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18. CCTV footage shows them chatting casually for more than 90 minutes at the café.
An examination of Siya’s mobile phone has also revealed that she had searched for information about Lohagad Fort and watched videos of various locations at the fort before allegedly sharing details with Chetan, investigators say.
Also Read | Siya’s family breaks silence on Ketan’s murder: ‘Push the guilty off same fort, even if it’s my own daughter’
Police and the Agarwal family are baffled by Siya’s demeanour, which mirrored that of an excited bride-to-be while apparently concealing a chilling plan underneath. The families had fixed a November wedding, unaware that Siya was already in a relationship and allegedly desperate to prevent her marriage to Ketan.
Vishal Agarwal, Ketan’s father, says the family never suspected anything amiss with Siya. Recalling the meeting between the two families at a five-star hotel in Pune, he said, “She was very polite and graceful. She touched the feet of all the elders from our family.”
Ketan and Siya both came from wealthy families. While the Agarwals are one of the largest developers of warehouses in Maharashtra, Siya too hails from an affluent business family in Pune.
Vishal Agarwal says Siya appeared to be enthusiastic about the wedding preparations. “She frequently visited our home and was actively involved in the engagement and wedding preparations. In fact, she and Ketan planned a grand pre-wedding shoot in Bali, even though Ketan’s mother was initially not in favour of it,” he said.
And, yet, things were already beginning to unravel. Police are now examining an incident where Siya allegedly hid Ketan’s passport at a food mall in Khalapur en route to Mumbai, from where they were to fly to Bali. Investigators believe Siya was trying to sabotage the trip.
Unable to process his son’s death, Agarwal said, “You can see videos and photos on social media. Ketan used to express his love for her. They frequently went for outings, lunch and dinner. Everything appeared normal to us.”
He recalled the now viral Instagram story posted by Siya after Ketan’s death, a compilation of romantic moments the couple shared. “The same girl, however, appeared completely different on the day of Ketan’s funeral. She looked totally normal and showed no visible signs of grief,” said Agarwal.
It’s been only a couple of days since Ketan’s death turned into a murder investigation, with Siya being a prime suspect. Her mother, Pooja Goyal, is still in shock. “Ketan meant more to me than even my own son. Whoever is found guilty should receive the strictest punishment, even if it is my daughter,” Pooja told a news portal.
Criminal psychologists say cases like these require a close examination of relationships, circumstances and decision-making patterns. Clinical psychologist Rujuta Deshmankar said, “If the allegations are proved, the case raises questions about how a person manages two conflicting realities — one in public and another in private.”
Also Read | Ketan Agarwal murder: Inside the 640-minute offline strategy of Siya’s ‘boyfriend’ Chetan that backfired
She said family expectations, fear of social consequences and personal relationships may need to be examined while understanding such behaviour.
As the investigation continues, police have found that Siya and Chetan, a BBA graduate and resident of Kondhwa, had exchanged more than 2,000 phone calls between January and mid-June. They are examining the nature of these conversations and their movements before Ketan’s death.
On Wednesday, Neeraj Kumar, an employee at Chetan’s grocery store in Market Yard, was questioned by the police. Chetan had appeared to have carried Neeraj’s mobile phone on the day Ketan died, while leaving his own phone at the shop.
Chetan’s father, however, refuses to believe his son is complicit in the alleged murder. “Chetan did not push the boy (Ketan) and was standing far away,” said Babulal Chaudhary. He claims his son is being falsely implicated.
