Pune: The investigation into the murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has entered a crucial phase, with police planning to conduct a gait analysis of the prime accused, Chetan Chaudhary, and recreate CCTV footage from Lohagad Fort to establish his identity and movements on the day of the crime.
The prosecution informed a court on Monday that investigators will compare Chaudhary’s walking pattern captured on CCTV with a recreated video to verify whether both match. Police also told the court that several aspects of the case, including identifying the exact spot where the murder took place and tracing the victim’s missing passport, still require detailed investigation.
After hearing the arguments, the court extended the police custody of Chetan Chaudhary (22) and Siya Goyal (20) till July 3.
The two have been accused of conspiring to murder Agarwal, who was Goyal’s fiancé, by allegedly pushing him off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18.
Police To Compare Walking Pattern Through Gait Analysis
According to investigators, gait analysis has become a key part of the investigation because Chaudhary allegedly attempted to conceal his identity by wearing a hoodie while visiting the fort on the day of the incident.
A police official explained that gait analysis examines an individual’s walking pattern by studying characteristics such as stride length, posture, body movement and limb coordination. The technique is often used to identify suspects when facial features are not clearly visible in surveillance footage.
Police now plan to recreate the CCTV footage by asking Chaudhary to wear a similar hoodie and walk along the same route captured by the surveillance cameras.
“We are planning to conduct a gait analysis of Chaudhary. We have CCTV footage showing him walking while wearing a hoodie to hide his face. The recreated footage will be compared with the original CCTV recording to determine whether both walking patterns match,” the official said.
Police Say Crime Scene Requires Further Investigation
On Monday, both accused were produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate A. M. Vibhute in Vadgaon Maval after their initial period of police custody ended.
Seeking an extension of custody, Assistant Public Prosecutor Rajashri Virkud told the court that investigators have found evidence suggesting the accused had visited Lohagad Fort before the murder to identify the location from where Agarwal could be pushed off the cliff.
According to the prosecution, police need additional time to question both accused regarding this reconnaissance visit.
The prosecution further alleged that Goyal and Chaudhary met repeatedly at different locations while planning the murder.
Deleted Digital Evidence Being Recovered
Investigators also informed the court that both accused had allegedly deleted crucial digital evidence linked to the conspiracy.
Police said efforts are underway to recover the deleted data, which will play an important role in the next phase of questioning.
“The accused deleted digital data that constitutes crucial evidence. The process of recovering this information is underway. Once retrieved, it will form the basis for further interrogation,” the prosecution submitted.
Police To Verify Crime Reconstruction With Both Accused
The prosecution informed the court that investigators had already reconstructed the sequence of events on June 28 based on Siya Goyal’s statement.
Police now intend to verify that reconstruction by confronting Chaudhary with the same sequence of events.
Investigators also plan to question the accused regarding interactions they allegedly had with several individuals at Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident. CCTV footage showing these interactions has already been obtained.
Missing Passport Of Victim Under Investigation
Another key aspect of the investigation concerns Ketan Agarwal’s missing passport.
According to the prosecution, Goyal allegedly did not want to travel to Bali with Agarwal for their planned pre-wedding photoshoot.
Police claim she secretly removed his passport from his bag during their journey from Pune to Mumbai and discarded it somewhere near Khalapur Food Mall in Raigad district.
Investigators now want Goyal’s assistance in locating and recovering the passport.
Fresh Witnesses Emerge During Investigation
The prosecution also informed the court that several new witnesses have come forward during the investigation.
Police intend to confront both accused with these witnesses and verify their statements before filing further charges.
Defence Challenges Arrest
Appearing for Siya Goyal, advocate Vipul Dushing argued before the court that her arrest was illegal and lacked sufficient legal grounds.
Meanwhile, Chetan Chaudhary’s lawyer Ram Shahane contended that his client’s role, as described in the FIR, remains limited and insufficiently defined.
Courtroom Drama Over Legal Representation
The court proceedings witnessed brief drama after an advocate identifying himself as Aashutosh Shrivastav claimed he had been appointed to represent Siya Goyal.
He submitted a vakalatnama bearing what he said was Goyal’s signature.
However, both Goyal and her family informed the court that advocate Vipul Dushing continued to represent her, prompting the court to reject the claim.
Police Recreated Crime Scene At Lohagad Fort
On Sunday, investigators took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to reconstruct the alleged murder using a human-sized dummy.
According to police, Goyal demonstrated how she allegedly sat down at a particular location to signal Chaudhary before he pushed Agarwal off the cliff.
Investigators believe the reconstruction has provided important insights into the sequence of events.
Police Say Chaudhary Carefully Planned His Visit
Police claim Chaudhary carefully planned his movements before the crime.
Instead of travelling by car, he allegedly rode a scooter to the fort to avoid leaving toll plaza records that could later be traced.
Investigators further claim he climbed the fort wearing a hoodie to conceal his identity, later removed it while inside the fort, and wore it again while leaving to avoid attracting attention.
After the alleged murder, police say Chaudhary returned to Pune on the same scooter.
Family Members Questioned
As part of the investigation, police last week questioned Siya Goyal’s parents and brother and recorded their statements.
The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to collect digital evidence, analyse CCTV footage, question witnesses and verify the sequence of events leading up to Ketan Agarwal’s death.