The father of Siya Goyal, the woman accused of plotting the murder of her fiance Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort near Pune, has demanded the strictest punishment for the killers, even if his own daughter is found guilty.
“Let the strictest possible punishment be given to the murderer. From the fort where Ketan fell, the accused, even if it is my own daughter, should be pushed down,” Pravin Goyal said.
Siya Goyal’s father: ‘We loved ketan like our own son’
He spoke with deep grief about the young man his family had welcomed as their own. “What happened is a very tragic event. We still can’t believe it. They’ve lost their son, and their son was ours, too. We loved him so much,” he said. The two families had been planning a wedding in Udaipur, and he said Siya had never shown any unhappiness about the match. “Ever since the match was finalised, she’s always been happy. She always talked about Ketan,” he added.
Siya Goyal’s mother Pooja Goyal breaks down: ‘Throw them from where Ketan fell’
Siya’s mother, Pooja Goyal, echoed the same anguish. “When I heard about this incident, I was deeply shocked. I kept wondering how something like this could have happened,” she said. She added that her pain was even greater because two families had been devastated. “Ketan was such a good person. If anyone is found guilty in this case, they should receive the strictest possible punishment, even if it is my daughter. If my daughter is found guilty, then the person responsible should be thrown from the very place from which Ketan fell,” she said.
How a ‘trekking accident’ at Lohagad Fort turned into a murder case
The case began as what looked like a tragic accident. Ketan Agarwal, a 24-year-old from a Pune business family, died during a trek at Lohagad Fort on June 18. Siya, his fiancee, called at around 10:30 in the morning to say he had slipped and fallen to his death. Security guards, police, and both families rushed to the spot, and a case was registered the same day.
Doubts soon began to surface. Ketan’s relatives told police he was a trained and experienced trekker who was unlikely to lose his footing. Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandeep Singh Gill said the early findings threw up several conflicting details, which pushed investigators to look deeper.
The hoodie in 33°C heat that cracked the case
CCTV footage became the turning point. One clip showed a man in shorts and a hoodie following the couple from about 20 to 30 feet behind, his face hidden and a headset on. What struck officers was the weather. The temperature that day was around 33 degrees Celsius, and a hoodie on such a hot trek made no sense. In another clip, Siya is seen turning to look at the hooded man, who quickly sat down as if to avoid being noticed.
2,004 calls in 7 months: The Siya-Chetan Chaudhary link
Technical analysis soon tied the man to Siya. He was identified as 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, who ran a shop near her family’s business at the Market Yard. Police compared his social media photos with the CCTV images and found a clear match. Call records showed the two had exchanged 2,004 calls over seven months, speaking for nearly 238 hours.
A lavish November wedding and a secret affair
Investigators allege that Siya was in a relationship with Chetan even as her family prepared for a lavish November wedding involving private jets and palace venues. Police say Chetan saw Ketan as an obstacle, and the two planned to remove him.
Bali trip, June 14 attempt and the alleged ‘plan C’
According to police, Siya lured Ketan to the fort as a casual outing. Chetan arrived later, and the two allegedly pushed Ketan into a deep gorge from behind. Officers say this was not their first attempt. A pre-wedding trip to Bali had collapsed after Ketan’s passport went missing at Mumbai airport, which his father believes Siya hid on purpose. Police also claim Siya tried to push Ketan near a cliff on June 14, but he saved himself by grabbing a bush. She allegedly screamed about a snake and then hugged him to hide her intent. Investigators say the pair had even prepared a “Plan C.”
Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary arrested and in police custody
Both Siya and Chetan have been arrested and charged with murder and criminal conspiracy. They have been sent to seven days of police custody as the probe continues.
