Pune Police To Seek Polygraph Test Of Accused Siya Goyal In Lohagad Fort Murder Case

Pune: Investigators probing the murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort have decided to seek a polygraph, or lie detector, test for the main accused, Siya Goyal. Police believe the test could help uncover crucial details that have not yet come to light during the investigation.

Ketan Agarwal, a 26-year-old businessman, was allegedly murdered on June 19 after being pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort. Police have accused his fiancée, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and her alleged boyfriend, Chetan Chaudhary, of planning and carrying out the crime.

According to investigators, the case has become challenging because there are no direct eyewitnesses to the incident and no CCTV footage showing the alleged murder. Officials said the investigation currently relies largely on circumstantial evidence, making it important to gather stronger proof before the case goes to trial.

A senior police officer said the proposed polygraph test is expected to help investigators find new leads and recover evidence that may have been hidden by the accused. Although the results of a lie detector test are not treated as direct evidence in Indian courts, police believe the information gathered during the process can help them discover fresh evidence that can be legally used.

Police are also examining digital evidence, including browser history, mobile phone locations and deleted messages. Investigators said this digital data could play a key role in strengthening the prosecution's case.

Officials admitted that proving the murder in court will not be easy as the case is mainly based on circumstantial evidence. They said they want to avoid mistakes that could weaken the case during the trial.  The Lohagad case is being handled with extra care to ensure that all evidence is properly collected and presented.

Police said only Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary were allegedly present with Ketan at the time of the incident. While CCTV footage reportedly shows Chetan in the area wearing a hoodie, officials said it does not directly prove the charge of murder. Investigators have also reconstructed the crime using a dummy, but acknowledged that such reconstructions have limitations compared to real-life conditions.

The investigation is continuing, and police are expected to approach the court for permission to conduct the polygraph test as they work to build a stronger case against the accused.