PUNE: Accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been remanded to police custody till July 3 in connection with the murder of businessman Ketan Agarwal on Monday.Earlier on Sunday, Pune Rural Police revealed that Goyal allegedly gave a pre-decided signal to Chaudhary before he is said to have pushed Agarwal off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18, according to news agency ANI.Investigators said Goyal signalled Chaudhary by sitting on the ground to drink water, ensuring she remained out of Agarwal’s reach at the moment he was pushed. Police suspect the act was intended to prevent Agarwal from grabbing her for support as he fell.“In the ongoing probe, it has come to light that the crime was allegedly planned by accused Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary,” an official from Pune Rural Police said.According to investigators, the duo allegedly conspired during a meeting at a café in Pune’s Lullanagar area a day before the incident. The claim is supported by CCTV footage recovered by police.Authorities also said the accused may have rehearsed the crime beforehand, and efforts are underway to identify the location where the alleged practice took place.On Sunday morning, a Pune Rural Police team took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to recreate the crime scene, news agency ANI reported.Investigators have also seized a scooter allegedly used by Chaudhary to travel nearly 100 km from Pune to the fort, suspecting it was used to avoid toll plazas during the journey.Ketan Agarwal and Siya Goyal were engaged on February 19 and were scheduled to marry later this year. Police suspect Goyal had been in a relationship with Chaudhary since October last year and was unwilling to proceed with the marriage.Both accused were arrested on June 23 and were earlier remanded to seven-day police custody till June 29 as investigations continued.Following the incident, the Maharashtra government approved the setting up of a fast-track court and appointed senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor in the case.The decision came after the victim’s father met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Pune and appealed for swift justice. The Chief Minister assured the family that strict action would be taken against the accused and that the case would be fast-tracked.(With Agency Inputs)
