Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal was killed in a case that police say involved a pre-planned effort to mislead investigators and evade digital surveillance. Amid the ongoing probe, a nearly 10-hour period of alleged “offline movement” by accused Chetan Chaudhary has emerged as a key focus.
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Investigators say Chaudhary remained completely disconnected from mobile internet for around 640 minutes on the day of the incident. Police believe the prolonged offline period was a deliberate attempt to avoid digital tracking. However, investigators say the unusual gap in connectivity ultimately helped them reconstruct the sequence of events.
Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder: Inside the 640-minute offline strategy of Siya’s ‘boyfriend’ Chetan that backfired
10-hour offline ‘strategy’
- 7 am:Investigators allege that Chetan Chaudhary switched off the mobile internet on his phone at around 7 am on June 18 and took additional steps to limit his digital traceability.
- Midday:According to NDTV, Chaudhary allegedly continued moving in what investigators described as “digital stealth,” reportedly using an employee’s mobile phone for limited communication while travelling towards Lohagad Fort.
- 2 pm:Police allege that Chaudhary wore a thick winter hoodie despite temperatures of around 33°C, apparently to avoid being identified while following the couple on the fort trail.
Also Read: Siya taken to Pune’s Lohagad Fort to recreate Ketan’s murder scene, same-weight dummy used
- 2:30 pm:At a secluded spot near the Vinchu Kata ridge, Siya Goyal allegedly sat down as a pre-decided visual signal. Chaudhary then reportedly emerged from hiding and pushed Ketan Agarwal off the cliff, leading to his death, the NDTV report said.
- 5:40 pm:Police say Chaudhary reconnected to the internet after remaining offline for several hours. Investigators believe the sudden return to connectivity stood out as unusual and helped them narrow down the timeline leading up to the alleged murder.
Latest updates on the case
Agarwal’s fiancée, Siya Goyal, was taken to Lohagad Fort on Sunday to recreate the sequence of events leading to the alleged murder.
“The police reconstructed the entire chain of events, including the route taken by the accused, their positions at the spot, the actions allegedly carried out and the manner in which the incident unfolded,” Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said.
Deputy superintendent of police Gajanan Tompe said that police had also created a dummy of the same weight as Ketan for the reconstruction of the scene.
Police on Saturday extensively questioned the parents and brother of Siya Goyal in connection with the alleged murder of her fiancé and Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal.
Siya’s parents Pravin and Puja Goyal and brother Sahil arrived at the Lonavala rural police station around 11 am for recording their statements and left after nearly 12 hours, said an official.
Earlier on Friday, Sahil was questioned by the police for more than 10 hours.
(With inputs from agencies)
