Pune: The ongoing police investigation into the murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has revealed that the victim had voiced deep suspicions regarding his fiancee’s fidelity prior to his death. Investigators have discovered that Agarwal explicitly questioned his family about whether they had conducted a thorough background check on his partner before finalising their marriage. The 28-year-old businessman was allegedly pushed to death from a cliff at the historic Lohagad Fort on June 18 by his fiancee, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary.
According to the formal police complaint lodged by the victim’s father, Vishal Agarwal, the deceased had repeatedly expressed anxiety over Goyal’s close relationship with Chaudhary. The victim noted that his fiancee frequently mentioned Chaudhary during their personal interactions, causing him significant distress. Tensions escalated earlier in the month when Goyal reportedly sabotaged their planned pre-wedding trip to Bali, Indonesia, which was abruptly cancelled on June 6. Following the cancellation, the victim approached his father to complain about Goyal instigating frequent arguments over minor issues, though the family initially dismissed the behaviour as youthful immaturity and promised to counsel her.
The investigation has also uncovered a harrowing prior attempt on the realtor’s life just days before the fatal incident. On June 14, the couple visited the exact same cliffside location at Lohagad Fort, where Goyal allegedly made her first attempt to push him off the edge. On that occasion, the victim managed to save himself by gripping a nearby bush. When he questioned her actions, Goyal reportedly raised a false alarm about a nearby snake, successfully manipulating the situation to make it appear as though she had acted to protect him.
Upon returning from the fort on June 14, the victim again confronted his father, pointing out that Goyal’s phone was constantly busy and expressing his firm suspicion that she was engaged in an extramarital affair. However, because the match had been arranged through a trusted mutual relative and celebrated at a luxury hotel engagement in February, the family reassured him that his fears were likely unfounded. Following the murder, Pune police arrested both Goyal and Chaudhary, and a local court has remanded the co-accused in police custody until July 3 to allow for deeper interrogation.
