Siya Gave Signal, Lover Pushed Ketan Off: Police Reveal Chilling Lohagad Fort Murder Plot

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 08:11 IST

Police said the location near the Vinchu Kata ridge overlooking the Pavana dam was deliberately chosen because it was relatively isolated.

Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Fresh details have emerged in the investigation of murder case of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal, with police claiming that the Lohagad Fort incident, initially believed to be a trekking accident, was in fact a carefully planned murder carried out after his fiancée Siya Goyal gave a pre-arranged signal to her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary.

According to Pune Rural police, Chaudhary followed Agarwal and Goyal to the hill fort on June 18 and waited near a secluded cliff for a signal from Goyal before carrying out the attack.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Tompe said the duo had allegedly planned the murder in advance. “They had agreed that Goyal would sit down to alert Chaudhary. Once she did, he approached Agarwal from behind and pushed him off the cliff before fleeing," Tompe said.

Breakthrough in the case came from CCTV footage near Lohagad’s foothills, which showed a hooded man (later identified as Chaudhary) trailing the couple.

“We also observed Goyal signalling to him. Chaudhary spent less than 10 minutes at the top of the fort and completed the ascent and descent in under 50 minutes. A security guard recalled the man claiming he had come for exercise when questioned about entry," Lonavla Rural police inspector Dinesh Tayade said, as quoted by Times of India.

Police said the location near the Vinchu Kata ridge overlooking the Pavana dam was deliberately chosen because it was relatively isolated and attracted fewer visitors on weekdays.

“The spot was more secluded than other areas of the fort. We suspect the duo may have visited earlier to conduct reconnaissance. We are interrogating them," the officer said.

Inconsitencies In Siya’s Statements

The police said suspicion first arose after Goyal gave inconsistent statements. “She first claimed Agarwal slipped while posing for a photograph, later saying he fell while handing her a water bottle. We, however, found no photographs on her cellphone from that day. This raised further suspicion," inspector Dinesh Tayade of Lonavla Rural police said.

Call records further strengthened the case, investigators said. Police found that Goyal and Chaudhary had spoken more than 2,000 times between January and June this year, spending a cumulative 238 hours on calls. The two had allegedly been in a relationship for several months despite Goyal’s engagement to Agarwal.

Investigators also believe Chaudhary attempted to evade detection by leaving his own mobile phone behind and carrying an employee’s handset during the trip.

Ketan’s Sister Grew Suspicious

The probe gathered pace after Agarwal’s family raised doubts about the circumstances surrounding his death. According to police sources, his sister became suspicious after Goyal gave inconsistent answers about the incident during a visit to the family home days after the funeral.

The ‘Perfect Moment’ After Multiple Failed Attempts

Police claim the June 18 killing was not the first attempt on Ketan’s life.

Investigators are examining at least three earlier failed attempts allegedly made by Siya and Chetan before they finally succeeded at Lohagad Fort. In one instance, Siya allegedly tried to push Ketan while pretending to save him from a snake. In other attempts, circumstances reportedly prevented the plan from being carried out

The couple allegedly kept waiting for what police describe as the “perfect opportunity". That opportunity came on June 18 when Siya convinced Ketan to visit Lohagad Fort to celebrate her birthday.

Investigators suspect the accused may have conducted reconnaissance visits to Lohagad Fort before allegedly executing the plan.

Both Goyal and Chaudhary have been arrested and charged with murder. The investigation is ongoing.

About the Author

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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