Pune rural police have filed a 5,053-page chargesheet in the murder of Ketan Agarwal, who allegedly died after being pushed from Lohagad Fort in Maharashtra in June. The chargesheet was submitted before the Vadgaon Maval court on Saturday and names his fiancée Siya Pravin Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Babulaal Chaudhary and Ritesh Sanjay Hange as accused. All three are currently in jail.
According to police, the accused initially planned to seriously injure Agarwal and explored the possibility of hiring someone from outside Maharashtra to carry out the attack. The plan was later abandoned after they allegedly became concerned that the person hired could reveal the conspiracy or create problems for them.
Investigators allege that the three subsequently decided to carry out the killing themselves. Police have cited more than 100 witnesses, including five eyewitnesses, along with mobile phone data, WhatsApp conversations, photographs, call detail records and other digital evidence.
The chargesheet also describes the alleged planning and recce carried out before the incident. Police said Goyal and Chaudhary visited several locations around Lonavala, including Tiger Point and Lohagad Fort, while looking for an isolated location. Investigators allege that Lohagad was eventually selected because of its location and the possibility that a death there could appear to be an accidental fall.
Police have alleged that the accused studied murder-related films and podcasts while planning the crime. Investigators also referred to their alleged study of the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was killed during his honeymoon in Meghalaya last year.
The investigation claims that an earlier attempt to carry out the plan took place on June 14, when Goyal and Agarwal visited Lohagad. Police allege that Goyal tried to push Agarwal from the fort, but he did not fall. She allegedly then claimed there was a snake nearby in an attempt to make him move closer to the edge. The attempt reportedly failed.
Investigators further allege that a fake Instagram account named “Mahi” was later created using the photograph of a woman known to the accused. Police said messages from the account were used to give Agarwal the impression that Mahi was Goyal’s friend and encourage him to visit Lohagad for a surprise birthday plan.
The account was allegedly deleted after the murder.
Police said the chargesheet contains extensive digital and witness evidence supporting their allegations. The case will now proceed before the court, where the evidence and allegations against the three accused will be examined through the judicial process.
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