Kill Ketan, buy time: Siya Goyal wanted 3 more years before marriage, say cops

Pune police have revealed that Siya Goyal believed fiancé Ketan Agarwal's death would delay marriage plans by at least three years, while co-accused Chetan Chaudhary also wanted more time before settling down. This came as a new twist to the murder case.

In Short

• Police traced a pre-engagement Udaipur trip involving Siya, Chetan and friends
• Investigators say the two exchanged 2,004 calls totaling 238 hours
• A June 17 cafe meeting in Lullanagar is under scrutiny

What began as an arranged marriage has now turned into one of Pune's most chilling murder investigations, with police claiming the alleged motive was not revenge, money or family rivalry, but time.

According to investigators, Siya Goyal allegedly told police that she did not want to marry realtor Ketan Agarwal and believed that if he was killed, she would gain at least three more years before having to think about marriage. Police suspect Siya's boyfriend and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary also wanted another two to three years before marrying Siya.

Investigators believe the pair chose what they saw as the easier path. Instead of calling off the arranged marriage and risking social embarrassment, police allege they conspired to eliminate Ketan altogether.

A SECRET RELATIONSHIP AND A TRIP

As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered what they believe was a relationship that predated Siya's engagement.

Police say Siya and Chetan travelled together with friends to Udaipur in January, spending five days in Rajasthan, weeks before Siya got engaged to Ketan in February. Chetan, who is originally from Rajasthan, is believed to have grown closer to Siya during this period.

The probe has also revealed that Chetan was no stranger to Siya's family. He knew her elder brother, Sahil Goyal, through cricket, and investigators believe Siya first met Chetan while accompanying her brother to matches before the two reconnected later.

2,004 CALLS RAISE SUSPICIONS

Investigators say call records paint the picture of a relationship that was anything but casual.

Police claim Siya and Chetan exchanged an astonishing 2,004 phone calls from January onwards, speaking for a combined 238 hours. Officers believe the frequency and duration of the conversations could provide crucial evidence about the alleged conspiracy.

CAFE MEETING A DAY BEFORE THE MURDER

Another key piece of the puzzle is now under scrutiny.

Police say Siya and Chetan met at a cafe in Pune's Lullanagar area on June 17, just one day before Ketan's death. The meeting reportedly lasted nearly an hour, from around 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

Investigators are now examining whether the alleged murder plot was discussed during the meeting.

DELETED CHATS MAY HOLD THE ANSWERS

The investigation has now shifted to digital evidence after police found that both accused allegedly wiped conversations from their mobile phones.

WhatsApp chats, Instagram messages and other deleted records are being examined by forensic experts. According to investigators, the accused allegedly deleted conversations before and after the crime, cleared recycle bins and attempted to erase every possible digital trace.

Police are now working to recover the erased data in an effort to reconstruct the timeline leading up to the killing.

SIYA'S BROTHER QUESTIONED

As part of the widening investigation, police questioned Siya's brother, Sahil Goyal, for nearly 10 hours on Friday.

Officials said Sahil was questioned about his acquaintance with Chetan Chaudhary and other aspects of the case before being allowed to leave. Investigators are also expected to record statements from other members of Siya's family as they continue to piece together what they believe was a carefully planned conspiracy that ended with Ketan Agarwal's murder.

- Ends