As investigators closed in with a reconstructed crime scene, forensic recoveries, and fresh revelations about motive, the Vadgaon Maval Court on June 29 granted police custody of both accused until July 3.
Pune/Lonavala, June 30 : The Ketan Agarwal murder case entered a dramatic new phase over the weekend and into Monday as investigators unveiled a string of chilling developments — from a pre-decided “sit down” signal that triggered the fatal push to a cold revelation that the accused had rehearsed the murder at the fort before executing it — culminating in a Vadgaon Maval Court extending the police custody of both accused, Siya Goyal (20) and Chetan Chaudhary (22), until July 3, 2026.
Crime Scene Reconstructed With a Dummy
On Sunday, June 28, Pune Rural Police took Siya Goyal back to Lohagad Fort in a closely supervised operation to reconstruct the crime scene. Using a dummy to represent Ketan Agarwal, investigators recreated the exact sequence of events of June 18 — including the positions and movements of both accused at the time of the alleged push. The exercise was recorded by police and is expected to form part of the evidentiary material before the court. A senior official said Chetan Chaudhary would be taken to the fort separately for his own reconstruction exercise.
The Fatal Signal: Sitting Down Was the Kill Command
Perhaps the most chilling revelation of the investigation so far emerged on Sunday: Siya Goyal had given Chetan Chaudhary a pre-decided signal immediately before the fatal push. Police said she sat down — under the pretext of either tying her shoelaces or drinking water — to alert Chetan that the moment had come to act. But the signal served a dual purpose. It was also designed to ensure she remained physically out of Ketan’s reach at the time of the push, so that if Ketan grabbed out while falling, he could not pull her with him into the gorge.
“The signal was chosen deliberately so that Goyal would not be within the victim’s reach during the fatal push. They feared that if Chetan pushed Ketan and the latter tried to grab Siya while falling, she too could fall into the gorge. The plan was made keeping her safety in mind,” a police official stated.
Rehearsals Before the Murder: They Practiced
Investigators further revealed that both accused had visited Lohagad Fort multiple times before June 18 — not as tourists, but to identify the ideal location and rehearse the act. Police confirmed that the pair had “practised” and had also separately searched the internet for methods to kill a person. Deleted chats between the two were recovered during forensic examination of their devices and are being sent for further analysis.
Chetan’s Scooter Seized: 90 km to Avoid Toll Plazas
Lonavala Rural Police seized the two-wheeler belonging to Chetan Chaudhary that was used on June 18. Chetan had ridden nearly 90 kilometres from Pune to Lohagad Fort on the scooter — deliberately avoiding a car, which would have left a digital trail at toll plazas. Police also recovered the hoodie and headphones he wore that day, both of which have been sent for forensic examination.
Motive Deepens: Baldness, Wig, Stammer — and Rs 3 Crore Already Spent
Fresh details from police interrogation shed new light on Siya’s alleged motive. Investigators claim Siya told them she was deeply uncomfortable with several aspects of Ketan’s personality and appearance — including his hair loss, his use of a wig to cover it, and his stammer. She reportedly told investigators she did not want to hurt her family by rejecting the alliance and believed a trekking accident would draw minimal suspicion given the fort’s lack of CCTV coverage.
Ketan’s father Vishal Agarwal publicly rejected these characterisations, stating that his son’s appearance had no bearing on the tragedy and that Siya could simply have refused the engagement. Meanwhile, Siya’s mother Pooja Goyal — questioned by police for several hours on Saturday — denied ever forcing her daughter to marry Ketan and said she was unaware of Siya’s alleged relationship with Chetan Chaudhary. She added that if her daughter is found guilty, she should face the harshest punishment under law.
The scale of the wedding preparations has added another dimension to the case. The Goyal family had reportedly already spent close to Rs 3 crore on arrangements, with the total wedding budget projected at Rs 5 crore. A luxury palace in Jaipur valued at approximately Rs 17 crore had been booked for the celebrations, and two private aircraft had been arranged for transporting guests.
Sahil Goyal’s 10-Hour Interrogation — and Passport Admission
Siya’s brother Sahil Goyal was questioned for nearly 10 hours on Saturday. In a significant admission, when asked whether the family had planned a Bali trip, Sahil confirmed: “Yes. But it was cancelled because of the passport.” The passport in question is Ketan Agarwal’s, which investigators allege Siya had hidden to prevent the couple from travelling together to Bali.
Lawyer Dispute: Sahil Says Srivastava Was Never Their Counsel
In a fresh twist on June 29, Sahil Goyal told media that Advocate Ashutosh Srivastava — who had publicly stated he would oppose any extension of police remand on behalf of Siya Goyal — was not the family’s authorised legal representative. Sahil alleged that neither Siya nor the family had appointed Srivastava and suggested his sister’s signature may have been obtained by deceit. The family’s actual legal representative, Advocate Dushing, confirmed he was representing Siya and stated the case remains in its very initial stage.
June 29 Court Hearing: Defence Fails, Custody Extended to July 3
When both accused were produced before the Vadgaon Maval Court on June 29 upon expiry of their initial seven-day remand, the prosecution sought further custodial interrogation, arguing the investigation remained at a critical stage. The defence opposed the extension, submitting that the accused had cooperated fully and that no independent witnesses existed to establish the crime. The court rejected the defence’s opposition and granted extended police custody until July 3, 2026.
Candlelight Vigil and Father’s Appeal to Eyewitnesses
On Saturday evening, June 27, residents of Lodha Belmondo township held a silent march and candlelight vigil demanding justice for Ketan. His father Vishal Agarwal made an emotional appeal to anyone who was at Lohagad Fort on June 18: “Some people are messaging us, saying they were present at the fort, but they are not approaching the police. I urge all of them to come forward.” Ketan’s grandfather demanded capital punishment for both accused. Vishal Agarwal had earlier met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to request fast-tracking of the case.
What Comes Next
With custody extended to July 3, investigators are expected to complete Chetan Chaudhary’s scene reconstruction, obtain forensic reports on the seized scooter, hoodie, and headphones, and further examine recovered deleted chat data. The next major trigger will be the July 3 remand hearing. Ujjwal Nikam, the Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP appointed as Special Public Prosecutor, continues to lead the prosecution.
Background
Ketan Agarwal (26) was allegedly pushed to his death from a 400-foot gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18, 2026, by his fiancée Siya Goyal (20) and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary (22). The death was initially recorded as an accidental fall but police converted it into a murder case following witness accounts and digital evidence, including a CDR showing over 2,000 calls exchanged between Siya and Chetan totalling nearly 238 hours. The pair had also attempted to kill Ketan on June 14 in an earlier failed attempt at the same fort.
Both accused were arrested on June 23 and remanded to seven days of police custody, with their custody expiring on June 29. Special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam has been appointed to argue the case. The Ketan–Siya wedding had been planned for November 2026 at a palace in Jaipur.
