Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary Planned Slow-Poison Plot, Searched For Contract Killer, Say Police

Fresh and disturbing details have emerged in the investigation into the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, allegedly involving his fiancée Siya Goyal and her lover Chetan Chaudhary, police sources said.

According to information emerging during the investigation, the duo had allegedly been planning the murder for several months. Investigators suspect they had even explored the possibility of using slow poison to kill Agarwal, allegedly intending to cause him prolonged suffering.

The investigation has also revealed that Goyal and Chaudhary allegedly searched for a contract killer to execute the murder. The duo is reportedly said to have met a suspected contract killer, who initially agreed to carry out the killing.

However, the alleged contract killer later backed out after learning more about Agarwal's identity and his family's background in Pune, police sources said.

14 days judicial custody

Meanwhile, the Vadgaon Maval court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of Goyal and Chaudhary by another 14 days. Both accused appeared before the court through video conferencing from prison.

In another development, the court partially allowed an application filed by Chaudhary's counsel seeking the preservation and production of CCTV footage from the entry, exit and lobby areas of the Pune Rural Superintendent of Police's office within 15 days.

Radhikesh Uttarwar, advocate for Chaudhary, alleged that his client was brought to the SP's office nearly 12 hours before the FIR in the Ketan Agarwal murder case was formally registered.

"The judicial custody of both the accused has been extended by another 14 days. The court has partially allowed our application by directing that the CCTV footage from the entry, exit and lobby areas of the Pune Rural SP's office, where we have alleged that Chaudhary was brought nearly 12 hours before the FIR was registered, be preserved and produced before the court within 15 days. In its reply, the Investigating Officer (IO) has admitted that Chaudhary was indeed brought to the SP's office by officials of the Local Crime Branch," Uttarwar said.

Goyal and Chaudhary are currently lodged in Yerawada Central Jail under judicial custody. They are accused of pushing Agarwal off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18 during a trek, leading to his death.