‘No one saw it happen’: Siya Goyal’s lawyer claims no eyewitness or proof linking her to Ketan Agarwal’s death

PUNE: Claiming that the police are yet to establish any direct evidence against his client, lawyer Ashutosh Srivastava on Wednesday said there was no eyewitness or independent witness to prove that Siya Goyal was responsible for the death of her fiancé and realtor Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort.Ashotosh, while speaking to news agency PTI claimed that earlier, police had registered the case as an accidental death before later converting it into a murder case after investigators claimed they found some angle suggesting a conspiracy. However, Srivastava said the investigation was still underway and argued that there was no corroborative evidence at this stage proving that his client committed the alleged crime.“I don't think there's any independent witness or eyewitness who can say that he or she saw that happening. Neither there's any corroborative evidence that proves that my client did it,” Srivastava told PTI.He added that Siya was cooperating with the investigation and would continue to assist the police.“Siya, is concerned, she is fully cooperating with the investigating agency in every possible way so that the police can arrive at a proper conclusion and file a comprehensive chargesheet with complete clarity.

This will also assist the trial court in effectively conducting the proceedings and ultimately delivering a final judgment,” he said.Meanwhile, Pune rural deputy superintendent of police Gajanan Tompe said multiple teams were working on different aspects of the case and that investigators had gathered technical evidence and examined several witnesses.“So far, multiple investigation teams have been formed, and they are working on different aspects of the case.

We have gathered some technical evidence and have also examined certain witnesses. Based on all of this, the investigation is currently ongoing. A large number of people have been questioned. Today, Siya's brother is also being questioned, and some other relatives are also being interrogated,” Tompe said.Siya Goyal and her alleged boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary are in police custody in connection with the death of 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal, who died after falling from Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18.The case was initially registered as an accidental death but was later investigated as a suspected murder.According to police, analysis of call records and CCTV footage helped uncover the alleged conspiracy. Pune Rural police said Goyal and Chaudhary remained in contact for nearly six months, exchanging 2,004 calls and spending around 238 hours on phone conversations.Pune rural superintendent of police Sandip Singh Gill said some calls between the two lasted for more than two to three hours, and investigators suspect the communication was linked to the alleged planning of the crime.Police alleged that on the day of the incident, Goyal and Chaudhary met at a cafe before going to Lohagad Fort and discussed a plan to eliminate Agarwal. Investigators also claimed that the two identified a location from where Agarwal could allegedly be pushed into the valley.According to police, Goyal and Chaudhary viewed Agarwal as an obstacle in their relationship. Investigators alleged that Goyal had earlier attempted to take Agarwal to Lohagad Fort on multiple occasions.Police claimed that on May 31, Goyal accompanied Agarwal to Lohagad Fort and allegedly identified a spot near Vinchu Kata ridge. They further alleged that she tried to take him there again on June 4, but the plan did not materialise after Agarwal’s mother objected.Police also alleged that on June 14, Goyal tried to push Agarwal from the cliff, but he survived after holding onto a bush. Investigators claimed she later convinced him that the incident was accidental.Four days later, on June 18, Agarwal allegedly fell into a 350-foot gorge at Lohagad Fort. Police claim Goyal and Chaudhary were involved in the incident.Investigators have also alleged that Goyal discarded Agarwal’s passport on June 6 to disrupt a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali.Police said CCTV footage showed Chaudhary, wearing a hoodie, following Goyal and Agarwal at Lohagad Fort. Investigators said his presence and movements raised suspicion.Chaudhary’s lawyer Ram Shahane has also claimed that his client was being falsely implicated, saying the FIR did not specifically mention his role in the alleged offence.“The FIR does not specifically describe his role in the alleged offence. It merely states that he is the boyfriend of the main accused, and on that basis, he has been implicated in the case,” Shahane said.Chaudhary’s father Babulal Chaudhary has also maintained that his son is innocent and claimed he was being framed.Agarwal, a resident of Gahunje in Pune district, was a director and chief marketing officer of Success Group, his family’s real estate business. He had completed an MS in Entrepreneurship, while Goyal holds a commerce degree from a private college.(With agency inputs)