Lohagad Murder Conspiracy Hoodie In Peak Summer Helped Police Crack The Case

A hoodie worn on a hot summer morning turned out to be a crucial clue for Pune Rural Police as they probed the death of 25-year-old businessman Ketan Vishal Agarwal at Lohagad Fort, a case that has now turned from an alleged accidental fall into a suspected murder conspiracy involving his fiancée Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary.

According to senior police inspector Dinesh Tayade of Lonavala Rural Police, the investigation gathered momentum after Ketan’s family questioned the theory that he had accidentally fallen from the fort. Family members told police that Ketan was an experienced trekker and unlikely to have lost his balance at the spot from where he reportedly fell.

Ketan, a resident of Lodha Belmondo in Gahunje, had visited Lohagad Fort on June 18 with his fiancée Siya Goyal as part of her birthday celebrations. Siya initially told police that Ketan had slipped and fallen while taking photographs near the fort.

An accidental death report was registered at first. However, investigators began closely examining the movements of people present in and around the fort on the day of the incident.

“When we checked the June 18 temperature, it was 33 degrees Celsius that morning. During scrutiny of CCTV footage from the foothills, we noticed a person wearing a hoodie with his head covered and also wearing headphones. This raised suspicion because such clothing was unusual considering the weather conditions,” Tayade said.

Police later identified the individual as Chetan Chaudhary, who allegedly attempted to avoid detection by leaving his mobile phone at his Kondhwa residence rather than carrying it to the fort. Investigators tracked CCTV footage and subsequently questioned both Chaudhary and Siya. During sustained interrogation, the two allegedly confessed to the crime, police said.

The probe revealed that Siya and Chaudhary had known each other for about a year and were allegedly involved in a relationship. Siya, 20, is a resident of Market Yard in Pune and the daughter of businessman Pravin Goyal, who is associated with the spices and dry fruits trade. Chaudhary, 22, a resident of Parshwanagar in Kondhwa, assists his family in their wholesale and retail grocery business in Market Yard.

Police said the families of the accused were acquainted through business circles.

Ketan belonged to a prominent business family and served as a director of Success Group, which is involved in industrial and warehousing development. He completed a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business in Boston in 2023 and joined the family business the same year.

His marriage to Siya had been fixed in February, with the wedding scheduled for November. According to police sources, the families had booked a palace in Udaipur for the ceremony and were expected to spend around ₹14 crore on the celebrations.

Investigators said the alleged conspiracy took shape as Siya and Chaudhary continued their relationship despite her engagement to Ketan.

According to the police investigation, Chaudhary reached Lohagad Fort before Ketan and Siya on June 18. He allegedly followed the couple to an isolated location where he and Siya pushed Ketan into a valley, resulting in his death.

“During sustained interrogation and examination of evidence, including call detail records, phone locations and messages, the accused admitted to having conspired to eliminate Ketan Agarwal,” Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said.

Police said Chaudhary was arrested first, while Siya was subsequently arrested based on information obtained during his interrogation. A case under provisions related to murder and criminal conspiracy of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered.

Passport mystery and earlier Lohagad visit

Police said the investigation also uncovered details linked to a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali.

Ketan and Siya were scheduled to travel to Indonesia for a pre-wedding photoshoot. The trip, however, was cancelled after Ketan’s passport went missing when the group reached Mumbai airport.

Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, alleged that Siya had taken the passport from a common pouch during a halt at Lonavala and misplaced it, forcing the trip to be cancelled.

Police also said Ketan and Siya had visited Lohagad Fort on June 14, four days before the incident. No untoward incident was reported during that visit.

Ketan’s father further alleged that there may have been an earlier attempt on his son’s life. He claimed Ketan had felt someone pushing him at the same location during the earlier visit but managed to save himself by holding on to nearby shrubs. He also alleged that Siya subsequently created a diversion by claiming there was a snake in the area.

Police said all aspects of the case are still being investigated.