Massive Call Records Reveal Conspiracy
Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal's fiancee Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary exchanged a staggering 2,004 phone calls and spent 238 hours talking over six months before his murder, police said on Wednesday. The couple allegedly planned and executed the killing by pushing Agarwal off Lohagad Fort on June 18.
Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill stated, "The duo exchanged 2,004 phone calls and spent around 238 hours speaking to each other during the last six months. Some calls lasted more than two to three hours." Investigators believe the extensive communication was part of the murder plot.
Secret Cafe Meeting Before Fatal Push
On the day of the incident, Goyal and Chaudhary allegedly met at a cafe before heading to Lohagad Fort, where they discussed the plan to eliminate Agarwal. "During the meeting, the two allegedly identified a suitable spot on the fort from where Agarwal could be pushed into the valley and worked out the details of the execution of the plan," Gill said.
Goyal and Chaudhary have been remanded to police custody. Police said both viewed Agarwal as an obstacle in their relationship and decided to eliminate him.
Previous Attempt and Passport Sabotage
Police revealed that Goyal had previously attempted to push Agarwal off the same fort on June 14, but he managed to hold onto a bush. When he questioned her, she raised a false alarm about a snake. Additionally, on June 6, Goyal sabotaged a pre-wedding photoshoot trip to Bali by stealing Agarwal's passport from the car at a food mall in Khalapur and dumping it in a women's washroom. Senior police inspector Dinesh Tayde said, "Our probe showed that after stealing the passport, Siya Goyal dumped it in the women's washroom. A team will be sent to the mall to retrieve the passport."
Wedding Plans and Family Disclosures
Agarwal and Goyal got engaged in February and were scheduled to marry in a grand ceremony at Udaipur in November, with a palace booked. Agarwal's sister Sanjana told police that Goyal had repeatedly persuaded Agarwal to accompany her to Lohagad Fort on multiple occasions before the fatal incident. On May 31, Goyal took him there, and again insisted on June 4, but Agarwal's mother prevented him from going.
Hoodie-Clad Lover Identified via CCTV
Chaudhary was identified through CCTV footage showing him wearing a hoodie and trailing Agarwal and Goyal at Lohagad Fort. Police found it suspicious that he wore a hoodie despite temperatures around 33 degrees Celsius. His movements prompted further investigation into Agarwal's death.
Chaudhary's lawyer Ram Shahane claimed his client was implicated without specific role description in the FIR. His father Babulal Chaudhary said, "My son is innocent. We have been told he was standing far away from Siya and Ketan when the incident occurred."
Agarwal, a resident of Gahunje, was a director and chief marketing officer of Success Group, a family-run real estate business. He held an MS in Entrepreneurship, while Goyal had a commerce degree from a private college.
