PUNE: Pune Rural Police on Wednesday said that 26-year-old real estate firm director Ketan Agarwal was allegedly pushed to his death from a cliff at Lohagad Fort by Chetan Chaudhary as part of a murder plot hatched with Agarwal’s fiancée, Siya Goyal.According to deputy superintendent of police Gajanan Tompe, the duo carefully planned the crime before carrying it out on June 18. Investigators said Chaudhary followed the couple to a secluded cliff near the Vinchu Kata ridge and waited for a pre-arranged signal from Goyal.“The two had agreed that Goyal would sit down to indicate the right moment. After receiving the signal, Chaudhary approached Agarwal from behind, pushed him off the cliff and fled the spot,” Tompe said.Police said Chaudhary allegedly tried to avoid detection by leaving his mobile phone at his shop in Pune’s Market Yard area and carrying an employee’s phone instead. The employee is currently being questioned.Investigators said the location chosen for the crime was relatively isolated and witnesses were scarce as weekdays typically see fewer visitors at the fort.Suspicion first arose after Goyal allegedly gave conflicting accounts of the incident. Police said she initially claimed Agarwal slipped while posing for photographs and later stated he fell while handing her a water bottle. Investigators also found no photographs from the outing on her phone.Further investigation revealed that Goyal had allegedly sabotaged a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali earlier this month by tearing Agarwal’s passport and throwing it away near the Khalapur toll plaza. Police said she later admitted to doing so because Chaudhary opposed the trip.Call detail records also pointed to a close relationship between Goyal and Chaudhary. Police said the two, who were allegedly involved in a relationship for around eight months despite Goyal’s engagement, exchanged more than 2,000 calls between January and June, speaking for a total of 238 hours.A major breakthrough came through CCTV footage from the foothills of Lohagad Fort, which allegedly showed a hooded Chaudhary following the couple. Investigators said footage also captured Goyal signalling to him. Police added that Chaudhary spent less than 10 minutes at the top of the fort and completed the trek in under 50 minutes.The accused reportedly knew each other through their families’ businesses. While Goyal’s family is involved in the spice trade, Chaudhary’s family runs a grocery business.Chaudhary’s family has denied the allegations, claiming they were unaware of any relationship between him and Goyal and insisting he is innocent.Police are continuing their investigation, including whether the accused conducted reconnaissance visits to Lohagad Fort before allegedly executing the murder plan.
