Pune fort murder: Boyfriend Chetan persuaded Siya to kill fiance Ketan, police say

Police said questioning revealed that Chetan Chaudhary urged Siya Goyal to eliminate Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort. The claim shifts focus to the alleged conspiracy as investigators examine family statements and the events surrounding the June 18 trip.

In Short

• Police said Agarwal was pushed off Lohagad Fort cliff on June 18
• An official earlier claimed Goyal gave Chaudhary a pre-decided signal there
• Investigators also questioned Goyal's brother as part of the murder probe

The probe into the murder of realtor Ketan Agarwal has found that co-accused Chetan Chaudhary had urged Agarwal's fiancee, Siya Goyal, to get him killed, a police official claimed on Friday. Police said Goyal, 20, and Chaudhary, 22, who were in a relationship, are accused of conspiring to kill the 25-year-old, who was allegedly pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18.

The development comes a day after a Pune Rural Police official associated with the probe said that once the trio reached the cliff point, Goyal gave Chaudhary a pre-decided signal, after which Chaudhary pushed an unsuspecting Agarwal to his death, reported news agency PTI. The official also said Goyal's brother had been questioned in connection with the case.

"From the questioning of both the accused, it has come to light that it was Chaudhary who instigated Siya Goyal to eliminate Agarwal at Lohagad Fort," the official told news agency PTI on Friday.

Asked about media reports that Goyal disliked Agarwal because he wore a wig, a police official told PTI that while it was true Agarwal wore one, it could not be said that this was the only reason she disliked him.

Meanwhile, Goyal's mother said her daughter had not wanted to go to Lohagad Fort on June 18, but was persuaded by Agarwal and his mother.

"On the evening of June 17, Siya and Ketan had a video call, during which Ketan asked her to accompany him to Lohagad. During the call, Ketan's mother also spoke to Siya and urged her to go with him. Siya told her that she did not want to go trekking as there was a function scheduled for the following day, and she wanted to rest," she claimed.

Speaking to reporters, Goyal's father rejected reports that the family had booked a palace in Udaipur for the wedding and had arranged a chartered aircraft. He said the wedding was to be held in Udaipur, the hotel tariff was around Rs 81,000 per couple per day, and 70 rooms had been booked. He added that the family's total spending on the wedding was not more than Rs 3 crore.

Police have said the probe so far points to Chaudhary as the person who instigated Goyal, while investigators continue to examine the alleged conspiracy, the events at Lohagad Fort, and statements made by the accused and their families.

- Ends