Pune: The investigation into the alleged murder of 26-year-old businessman Ketan Agarwal has uncovered fresh details about how police believe the crime was planned weeks in advance. According to sources, the two main accused, Agarwal's fiancée Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, had finalised the murder plan by the end of May.
Investigators claim Chaudhary deliberately travelled to Lohagad Fort on a scooter instead of a car to avoid toll plazas and reduce the chances of being captured on CCTV cameras. Police have since seized the two-wheeler as part of the investigation.
The probe has also found that Chaudhary allegedly wore a hooded sweatshirt to conceal his identity during the trek. Police examining CCTV footage reportedly spotted Agarwal and Goyal walking together inside the fort, while another man, later identified as Chaudhary, followed them from about 20 to 30 feet behind. He was seen wearing shorts, a hoodie covering most of his face and a headset.
Investigators found the clothing suspicious because the temperature that day was around 33 degrees Celsius. They questioned why someone would wear a hoodie while trekking in such hot weather, which eventually led them to identify the person, sources said.
According to the investigation, Goyal and Chaudhary had earlier visited Lohagad Fort to survey the location and allegedly rehearsed how the murder would be carried out. Police claim the duo had agreed on the codeword "baithna" (sit) to signal the attack. Investigators allege Goyal was supposed to bend down on the pretext of drinking water or tying her shoelaces, signalling Chaudhary to push Agarwal into the gorge. Police believe the plan was also meant to prevent Agarwal from grabbing Goyal while trying to save himself.
Call detail records have also become a crucial part of the investigation. Sources said Goyal and Chaudhary spoke over the phone about 34 minutes before Agarwal's death. Investigators suspect Goyal informed Chaudhary about her exact location inside the fort and confirmed that no other visitors were nearby.
On Sunday, Pune Rural Police recreated the alleged sequence of events at Lohagad Fort using a dummy in the presence of the accused to verify the findings of the investigation.
Agarwal, the director and chief marketing officer of his family's real estate firm, Success Group, was found dead at the bottom of a nearly 400-foot gorge at Lohagad Fort on June 18. The case was initially treated as an accidental fall after Goyal claimed he had slipped. However, police later alleged that the death was a planned murder.
The investigation has also brought to light an alleged earlier attempt on Agarwal's life. Police claim Goyal first visited Lohagad Fort with Agarwal on May 31 and later suggested another trip on June 4, which did not take place after his mother objected. Investigators allege that during another visit on June 14, Goyal tried to push him off a cliff, but he survived after grabbing nearby bushes. When questioned, she allegedly claimed she had pushed him only because she thought she had seen a snake.
