Ketan Agarwal Case: Siya Goyal Allegedly Gave 'Sit Down' Signal to Lover Chetan Chaudhary

The investigation into the alleged murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal took a fresh turn on Sunday after Pune Rural Police recreated the crime scene at Lohagad Fort where he died on June 18. During the reconstruction investigators claimed accused Siya Goyal revealed she had planned to signal her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary by sitting down moments before Ketan was allegedly pushed into a 400-foot gorge. Police said the exercise was carried out to verify the sequence of events and gather further evidence in the case.

Ketan Agarwal, 26, died after falling from a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district. What was initially reported as an accident is now being investigated as a case of murder. Police have arrested Siya Goyal, 20, and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, 22, accusing them of conspiring to kill him. The allegations are under investigation and have not been tested in court.

Police recreate crime scene at Lohagad Fort

The reconstruction began at around 6.30 am under tight security and continued for nearly three hours.

Investigators used a mannequin matching Ketan's height and weight to recreate the movements of those involved before the fatal fall.

Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said the accused was taken to Lohagad Fort where officers verified the route taken, the positions of those involved and the sequence in which the incident unfolded.

Police said a similar reconstruction exercise will also be carried out with co-accused Chetan Chaudhary.

'Sit down' allegedly used as signal

According to investigators Siya Goyal disclosed during the reconstruction that she was supposed to signal Chetan Chaudhary by sitting down.

Police claimed she planned to either pretend to drink water or bend down as if tying her shoelaces. That was allegedly the cue for Chetan to approach from behind and push an unsuspecting Ketan into the gorge.

Investigators believe the alleged signal was part of a carefully planned conspiracy before the visit to Lohagad Fort.

Police say signal also protected Siya

Investigators said the alleged signal was designed not only to alert Chetan but also to keep Siya out of harm's way.

A police officer told PTI the accused feared Ketan might instinctively grab Siya if he was pushed while she was standing beside him.

"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," the officer said.

Scooter ride and change of clothes under probe

Police also revealed fresh details about Chetan Chaudhary's movements on the day of the incident.

According to investigators he travelled around 90 kilometres from Pune to Lohagad Fort on a scooter instead of using a car because he feared a four-wheeler could be traced through toll plaza records.

Police said the scooter has been seized as part of the investigation.

Investigators further claimed Chetan climbed the fort wearing a hoodie before changing into a black T-shirt. After the incident he allegedly wore the hoodie again while leaving the area to conceal his identity.

Police are also examining claims that the accused had visited the fort earlier to identify a suitable location and rehearse the alleged murder plan.

"We are yet to ascertain which other spot they had practised at," an investigating officer said.

Further remand likely as probe continues

Both accused are expected to be produced before the court on Monday after their police custody ends. Investigators are likely to seek further remand to continue questioning.

Police have claimed Siya told investigators she did not want to marry Ketan and believed calling off the wedding would lead to conflict within her family. Investigators also allege the murder was planned to avoid cancelling the engagement.

However Siya's lawyer Aashutosh Srivastava questioned the legal value of the reconstruction exercise.

He said any confession made by an accused while in police custody is not admissible as evidence under criminal law. He added that the prosecution would have to rely on independent corroborative evidence once the investigation is complete and the charge sheet is filed.

The investigation is continuing with police examining witness statements digital evidence forensic material and the alleged conspiracy behind Ketan Agarwal's death.