A new situation came into light when the investigation of the death of Pune-based businessman Ketan Agarwal continued on Wednesday, with police indicating that his fiancée, Siya Goyal, was hesitant about the marriage. According to sources cited by ANI, both questioning and analysis of digital as well as circumstantial evidence suggest that Siya was not mentally prepared for marriage and wanted more time for herself.
A senior police official told ANI, "The accused was apparently not mentally prepared for marriage and was under pressure from her family to accept the proposal."
Incident Initially Treated as an Accident
Ketan died on June 18 after falling into a gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune. At first, the case was considered an accidental death after Siya informed his family that he had slipped during a trek.
However, investigators now suspect foul play and allege that Siya, along with her alleged partner Chetan Chaudhary, pushed Ketan into the gorge.
CCTV Footage Raises Suspicion
A major breakthrough in the case came when police examined CCTV footage from the fort premises. Officials observed a hooded individual following Ketan and Siya at a short distance. The person, later identified as Chaudhary, appeared suspicious as he was dressed in a hoodie in this scorching summer.
An investigating officer stated, "While investigating the case, we stumbled upon certain circumstances surrounding the incident that raised suspicion and prompted a deeper probe. We checked CCTV cameras installed at the ticket counter of the fort, where we spotted Ketan and Siya walking together."
The officer further added, "The man was wearing shorts and a hoodie. The front part of the hoodie was pulled so low that his face could not be seen. Additionally, the man was wearing a headset over the hoodie. In another footage clip, we noticed Siya suddenly looking back and, at the same time, the man in the hoodie suddenly sitting down."
Past Concerns About the Marriage
During the course of the investigation, police gathered information from Ketan’s relatives indicating that Siya had earlier expressed doubts about the marriage. She had reportedly asked whether the wedding could be postponed by a year.
The couple got engaged in February and were scheduled to marry in November at a palace venue in Udaipur.
Repeated Visits to Lohagad Fort Under Scanner
Investigators also found that Siya had repeatedly encouraged Ketan to visit Lohagad Fort. Police claim she accompanied him there on May 31 and later urged additional visits on June 4, June 14, and June 18.
Authorities allege that a prior attempt to push Ketan off a cliff on June 14 failed when he managed to hold onto a bush, preventing him from falling.
Ongoing Investigation
The case continues to unfold as police further examine evidence and statements to establish the sequence of events leading to Ketan Agarwal’s death.
[With TOI inputs]
