In a striking development in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, which was reported from Maharashtra’s Pune earlier this year, the police have landed on a key development, as they filed a 5053-page chargesheet in connection with the death. The chargesheet details an alleged conspiracy hatched by Ketan’s fiancee Sia, as well as her lover Chetan Chaudhary and another of their aides in luring the 26-year-old businessman to his death in June. 

Filed and produced before a Pune court on Saturday, the chargesheet named Agarwal’s fiancee Siya Goyal, her lover Chetan Chaudhary and their accomplice identified as Ritesh Hange as accused. The trio was arrested after Ketan was allegedly pushed to death from the city’s Lohagad Fort on June 18. 

Agarwal and Goyal, both residents of Pune, had got engaged in February and were set to tie the knot in Jaipur in November this year. 

Murder plan takes shape after several failed attempts

The chargesheet mentions that the accused initially discussed seriously injuring Agarwal and even explored hiring a person from outside Maharashtra to execute the attack. According to police, the plan was later called off over fears that the hired person could lay bare the conspiracy or create other problems for them.

The person who was approached for the execution of the murder has chosen to become a witness in the case, according to investigating police personnel. 

The chargesheet further stated that the trio tried to kill Agarwal themselves. As part of their preparations, they allegedly watched murder thrillers, used ChatGPT and listened to podcasts which provided ways to evade detection by cops. 

The investigating police personnel said the accused researched the infamous Raja Raghuvanshi murder case too, which unfolded in Meghalaya last year. 

Trio conduct recce, pick Lohagad Fort while exploring Lonavala

As per police, Goyal and Chaudhary conducted a recce of locations around Lonavala, including Tiger Point, in a bid to pick up an isolated spot. They then chose Lohagad Fort because a woman had died there after suffering an accidental fall in March last year while capturing a selfie. 

Hence, as per the chargesheet, Goyal and Agarwal visited the fort on June 14, when she allegedly made an unsuccessful attempt to push him off the cliff. Agarwal reportedly managed  to grab a tree and save himself. 

When he questioned her, Goyal allegedly claimed that she had spotted a snake and pushed him in a bid to shield him from the snakebite. 

Fake Instagram account used as bait

In a shocking revelation made by the police, a fake Instagram account named ‘Mahi’ was created using the picture of a woman known to the accused. The chargesheet mentioned that messages from the account encouraged Agarwal to visit Lohagad on June 18 for a surprise birthday plan involving Goyal. During the police probe, it came to light that the account was allegedly created as part of the plan devised by Hange to bring Agarwal to the fort. After he was pushed off the cliff, the Instagram account was deleted. 

Police detail final moments

On June 18, Chaudhary allegedly reached Lohagad through an exit route and later joined Goyal after he received a signal from her. As per police’s allegations, when Agarwal’s attention was diverted, Goyal pushed him from behind, following which Chaudhary kicked him and caused him to fall from the fort. 

The chargesheet includes statements from more than 100 persons, including eyewitnesses. The investigating police personnel have also submitted cell phone data, WhatsApp chats, photographs, call detail records (CDR) and technical analysis as evidence in the case, sources said.