Days before his alleged murder, Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal had grown increasingly suspicious about his fiancée Siya Goyal’s relationship with co-accused Chetan Chaudhary and had even asked his family to verify her background before the wedding, investigators have revealed.
According to police, Ketan’s concerns were documented in the complaint filed by his father, who told investigators that his son repeatedly expressed unease over Siya’s frequent references to Chetan during their conversations. Ketan believed that the two were involved in an affair, but his family reportedly reassured him that there was nothing to worry about since the Goyal family were close family friends.
Engagement Finalised Through Family Connections
Siya Goyal and Ketan Agarwal’s match was arranged through a common relative who knew both families. The couple got engaged in February, and preparations for an extravagant wedding were already underway.
The wedding was scheduled to take place in November at a luxury palace in Jaipur, which had reportedly been booked for nearly Rs 17 crore. The families had also arranged two private aircraft to fly guests to the venue.
However, police say trouble had begun surfacing months before the wedding.
Police Say Bali Trip Was Sabotaged
According to Ketan’s father, the families had planned a pre-wedding vacation to Bali. The trip was cancelled unexpectedly after Ketan discovered that his passport had gone missing at Mumbai airport.
The complaint alleges that Siya Goyal deliberately removed the passport while the group had stopped at a food mall during their journey. She had reportedly gone back to the vehicle and allegedly stole the document, forcing the cancellation of the international trip.
Investigators are treating the incident as a possible early attempt to disrupt Ketan’s plans.
Ketan Had Complained About Frequent Arguments
Police said Ketan had also confided in his father about Siya’s behaviour, claiming that she frequently picked fights over minor issues.
His father, however, reportedly dismissed the concerns, believing that Siya’s young age may have contributed to her behaviour. He assured Ketan that the family would speak to her and resolve any misunderstandings before the marriage.
Police: First Murder Attempt Failed At Lohagad Fort
The investigation has also uncovered what police believe was an earlier failed attempt to kill Ketan.
According to case records, Siya allegedly took Ketan to Lohagad Fort on June 14 and pushed him off a cliff. However, Ketan managed to survive by grabbing hold of bushes growing along the hillside.
Police claim Siya then created a diversion by screaming about spotting a snake before hugging Ketan, making the incident appear accidental and avoiding suspicion.
Investigators believe that after the failed attempt, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary allegedly went ahead with another plan and eventually killed Ketan at the same fort on June 18.
Police have also claimed that the accused had prepared a “Plan C” in case their earlier attempts to eliminate Ketan did not succeed.
Crime Scene Recreation Underway
As the investigation intensifies, Lonavala police on Tuesday took co-accused Chetan Chaudhary to Lohagad Fort to recreate the alleged sequence of events.
Officials are examining CCTV footage that reportedly captured Chetan’s movements around the fort on the day of the incident. Investigators are expected to conduct further forensic analysis, including comparing his movements at the crime scene with available surveillance footage to strengthen the evidence.
The recreation exercise is considered a crucial step in reconstructing the alleged murder and verifying the timeline established during the investigation.