Pune: The Vadgaon Maval Court on Monday extended the police custody of Siya Goyal and Chetan Babulal Chaudhary till July 3 in the Ketan Agarwal murder case. During the remand hearing, Pune Rural Police told the court that they are investigating allegations that Goyal tore and burnt Agarwal’s passport in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Seeking an extension of custody, the prosecution said several parts of the investigation are still pending. Police informed the court that they are trying to trace and recover the remains of the passport. Investigators believe it could provide crucial evidence in the case.
Police also told the court they plan to recreate the crime scene at Lohagad Fort in the presence of both accused to verify the sequence of events. They further alleged that Chaudhary changed his clothes after the incident and said his movements after the crime need to be reconstructed. Investigators are also examining the communication records between the two accused.
On June 28, Pune Rural Police took both accused to Lohagad Fort and recreated the alleged crime. Entry to the fort was temporarily restricted during the exercise. Police reportedly used a dummy to understand how the incident unfolded and to match the findings with the evidence collected so far.
Ketan Agarwal, a 26-year-old businessman from Gahunje, died after falling into a nearly 400-foot gorge at Lohagad Fort on June 18. Initially, his fiancée Siya Goyal told police that he had accidentally slipped due to strong winds, following which an accidental death case was registered.
However, the investigation later took a different turn. Police now allege that Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, planned Agrawal’s murder as they considered him an obstacle to their relationship. Investigators claim Goyal lured Agrawal to the fort, where Chaudhary had already reached, and the two allegedly pushed him into the gorge.
Police are also probing an alleged earlier attempt on Agrawal’s life. Investigators claim Goyal tried to push him off a cliff during a visit to Lohagad Fort on June 14, but he survived after grabbing nearby vegetation. Goyal allegedly told him she had pushed him because she thought she saw a snake.
