What initially appeared to be a tragic trekking accident at Lohagad Fort near Pune has now been exposed as a planned murder, with investigators saying a simple detail in CCTV footage played a key role in solving the case.
Police said they became suspicious after reviewing CCTV footage from the fort, where victim Ketan Agarwal was seen walking with his fiancée, Siya Goyal. Following them at a short distance was another man, later identified as 22-year-old Chetan Choudhary, who is said to be Siya’s lover.
What caught investigators’ attention was his unusual clothing. Despite temperatures touching around 33°C on the day of the trek, Chetan was seen wearing shorts along with a hoodie that covered most of his face. He was also wearing a headset over the hoodie.
From a Suspicious Hoodie to a Bali Vacation, The Clues That Solved the Ketan Agarwal Murder
— upuknews (@upuknews1) June 24, 2026
A man wearing a hoodie in scorching 33-degree Celsius weather caught the attention of Pune investigators examining an incident involving businessman Ketan Agarwal and his fiancée Siya… pic.twitter.com/tpJrtJap8J
According to police, the footage showed Chetan maintaining a distance of around 20 to 30 feet behind the couple throughout the trek. The unusual outfit prompted investigators to take a closer look at the case.
“The technical analysis established a close connection between Siya and Chetan and pointed towards a well-thought-out conspiracy. We then examined photographs and social media profiles linked to Chetan. A comparison of those images with CCTV footage from the fort showing a hooded individual in the area helped police narrow their focus on him,” an official told PTI.
Investigators also said they found Siya’s behaviour suspicious after Ketan’s death. According to police, she did not display signs of grief that would normally be expected after losing her fiancé. During questioning, Ketan’s uncle also revealed that Siya had earlier expressed doubts about the marriage and had even suggested postponing the wedding by a year.
Further investigation uncovered frequent communication between Siya and Chetan. Police found that the two had exchanged 2,004 phone calls over the last seven months, speaking for nearly 238 hours in total.
From dream wedding to murder investigation
The case has shocked many because Ketan and Siya appeared to be heading towards a lavish wedding. Ketan, the son of a prominent Maharashtra businessman, got engaged to Siya in February this year, and the families had planned a grand wedding for November involving luxury venues and private jets.
However, police say Siya had been in a relationship with Chetan Chaudhary since November 2025. The two reportedly met during a business meeting. While Siya ran a bakery business, Chetan was involved in the dry fruit trade.
According to investigators, Chetan viewed Ketan as an obstacle to his relationship with Siya. Police believe the two eventually decided to eliminate him.
On 18th June, Siya convinced Ketan to accompany her on a trip to Lohagad Fort near Pune. Police say Chetan later joined them there. Once they reached a secluded area, the couple pushed Ketan from behind into a deep gorge, leading to his death.
The earlier murder attempt had failed
Investigators have also uncovered evidence suggesting that the murder was not their first attempt.
According to the police, Siya had tried to kill Ketan at the same fort on 14th June. During that incident, she reportedly pushed him towards the edge, but Ketan managed to save himself by grabbing a bush growing on the cliffside.
Police say Siya then tried to cover up the incident by screaming about spotting a snake and hugging Ketan, making it appear as if nothing had happened.
Police have now detained Siya and one of her friends, whom police suspect is a lover. Siya was reportedly against the marriage and had agreed to the engagement only under family pressure. The police stated that Siya and Ketan were to travel to Bali for a pre-wedding shoot, but Siya stated that her passport was lost after tearing it and throwing it away in a hotel room. The Bali trip was cancelled.
The families had planned an extravagant royal wedding at a palace in Udaipur, with aircraft arranged for guests and a reported budget of ₹17 crore. Ketan was a director at the real estate company owned by his family.
