Full Breakdown
Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Conspiracy, Chargesheet and Ongoing Investigation
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The Fatal Incident at Lohagad Fort
On June 18, 26-year-old Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal was pushed off the 400-foot cliff of Lohagad Fort and died. Police arrested his fiancée Siya Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary and associate Ritesh Hange. The three are alleged to have lured Agarwal to the fort under the pretext of a birthday surprise, then pushed and kicked him to cause the fatal fall.
Investigation Findings and Chargesheet Details
Pune Rural Police compiled a chargesheet that includes digital, forensic and eyewitness material: WhatsApp chats, call-detail records, photographs, mobile-phone data, technical analysis certificates and medical reports. It records statements from around 80 to 85 witnesses, including three eyewitnesses who saw the accused push the victim.
The chargesheet notes that Goyal searched online for a 2025 incident at Lohagad where a woman died, and for the Sonam Raghuvanshi murder case (a Meghalaya honeymoon killing). Police allege the trio studied murder-related films, podcasts and the Meghalaya case to design a plan that would appear accidental.
A fake Instagram profile named “Mahi” was created by Goyal, Chaudhary and Hange to lure Agarwal to the fort on June 18. The account was deleted after the murder.
Timeline of Key Developments
- May 21 – Goyal and Chaudhary visited Tiger Point in Lonavala to scout locations.
- May 25 – The pair decided to kill Agarwal.
- May 29 – Goyal and Agarwal trekked Lohagad; Goyal identified a potential push point.
- June 4 – Goyal allegedly insisted on visiting Lohagad before a planned Bali pre-wedding shoot.
- June 6 – Goyal allegedly tore Agarwal’s passport and discarded it in a café, aborting the Bali trip.
- June 14 – Goyal attempted to push Agarwal; he survived by holding a bush.
- June 18 – The final push occurred; Agarwal fell into the gorge and died.
- September 19 – Police filed a 5,053-page chargesheet in the Vadgaon Maval court.
- September 21 – News reports noted that three eyewitnesses had identified the accused during testimony.
Official Statements and Police Narrative
Police officials state that CCTV footage near the fort’s ticket counter showed a man in a hoodie following the couple; the individual was identified as Chaudhary. Call-record analysis revealed thousands of calls between Goyal and Chaudhary on the day of the murder. A senior officer said the accused initially considered hiring an outsider to injure Agarwal but abandoned the idea, opting to execute the plan themselves.
Criticism and Opposition from the Victim’s Family
Vishal Agarwal, Ketan’s father, has publicly questioned the involvement of Goyal’s family members, alleging that her father, mother, brother, uncle and aunt may have participated in the conspiracy. He has demanded capital punishment for those responsible and has sought a court-issued copy of the chargesheet, as well as a government notification appointing Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
- Chargesheet length: Most sources cite a 5,053-page document, while two reports describe a 2,500-page chargesheet.
- Witness count: Some outlets mention 80 to 85 witnesses, whereas others reference over 100 witnesses.
- Number of eyewitnesses to the push: Reports vary between “three witnesses” and “five eyewitnesses” who observed the act.
These discrepancies highlight gaps in publicly available details and underscore the need for court scrutiny of the submitted material.
Verbatim Quote
- “Regarding the Ketan Agarwal murder case, the Lonavala Rural Police have initiated the process of filing the charge sheet against both accused today. It is currently being verified, and once verified, it will be assigned a case number,” — Nitin Bhalerao, advocate