Delete chats, call history: Siya, Chetan threatened friend in Ketan murder case

A beautician friend of accused Siya Goyal told Pune Police that Siya and Chetan Chaudhary threatened her after allegedly using her photograph to create a fake Instagram account that lured Ketan Agarwal to Lohagad Fort. Her statement and preserved screenshots form part of the police case alleging a premeditated murder conspiracy.

In Short

• The woman alleged Siya and Chetan threatened her after misusing her photograph
• She told police they asked her to delete messages and calls linked
• The accused allegedly created Mahi.J to make Ketan trust the profile

A beautician friend of accused Siya Goyal was allegedly threatened by Siya and Chetan Chaudhary after her photograph was misused to create a fake Instagram account and lure Ketan Agarwal to Lohagad Fort, according to her statement to police. The friend allegedly told investigators that she was warned that she would be implicated in the murder and was asked to delete messages and call records related to the incident.

According to the statement, Siya had contacted the woman towards the end of May and told her that she did not want to marry Ketan and was in a relationship with Chetan. The woman also told police that Siya spoke about an earlier attempt on June 14 to take Ketan to Lohagad and allegedly push him into the gorge. The friend claimed that Siya later asked her to call or message Ketan and invite him to Lohagad on June 18. She refused, citing Siya’s birthday on June 19.

FAKE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT USED TO LURE KETAN

Investigators have alleged that after Ketan’s family became unlikely to allow him to visit Lohagad again, the accused used the photograph of Siya’s friend to create a fake Instagram account under the name ‘Mahi.J’. Through the account, Ketan was allegedly made to believe that he was communicating with Siya’s friend. The friend told police that Ketan was subsequently lured to Lohagad on the pretext of a surprise birthday party for Siya and was allegedly killed there.

The woman whose photograph was allegedly used is a beautician. At the time, her husband was in police custody in a narcotics-related case. According to her statement, Siya and Chetan allegedly exploited the situation to threaten her and told her that her photograph had been used to involve her in the crime.

The friend further alleged that on June 20, she received a message saying, "Suno naa.." and was subsequently called by Chetan. He allegedly warned her not to disclose what they had told her about the June 14 incident and threatened her with consequences. She also alleged that Siya later told her that her photograph had been misused to bring Ketan to Lohagad and that she herself could be implicated in the case. Siya allegedly asked her to delete the message and call history.

However, the woman said she retained screenshots of the message. After her husband was released from custody, she told him about the incident and subsequently approached the police on July 12, where her statement was recorded.

WHAT HAPPENED TO KETAN AT LOHAGAD?

Ketan was initially reported to have died in an accidental fall while visiting Lohagad Fort near Pune with his fiance, 20-year-old Siya Goyal. Police later alleged that the fall was part of a premeditated murder conspiracy.

Pune Police have filed a 5,053-page chargesheet before the Vadgaon Maval Sessions Court, alleging that Siya, Chetan and their associate Ritesh Hange planned and executed Ketan's murder.

According to the chargesheet, the alleged conspiracy began around February 2026. Investigators have alleged that the accused used ChatGPT, watched crime films, listened to podcasts and researched previous high-profile cases while planning how to stage the death as an accidental fall.

Ritesh allegedly helped create the fake Instagram account to lure Ketan to Lohagad.

On June 18, according to the police case, Siya took Ketan towards the edge of the cliff while Chetan, wearing a hoodie, followed them. The chargesheet alleges that Siya first pushed Ketan with both hands, following which Chetan kicked him off the cliff into a roughly 400-foot gorge.

The investigation has also revealed that Siya had married Chetan months before her engagement to Ketan.

The three accused — Siya, Chetan and Ritesh — are currently lodged in Yerwada Jail.

- Ends