Fresh Twist in Pune Murder Case: Siya Goyal’s 34-Minute-Before Call to Chetan Under Scanner

Pune Murder Probe: Phone Call 34 Minutes Before Ketan Agarwal’s Death Under Scanner

Investigators probing the murder of 26-year-old businessman Ketan Agarwal have uncovered fresh digital evidence that they believe could strengthen the alleged conspiracy case against the two accused.

According to an NDTV report citing sources, forensic analysis of the mobile phones of prime accused Siya Goyal and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary revealed a phone call made by Goyal to Chaudhary just 34 minutes before Ketan was allegedly pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune.

Police are treating the call, traced through the accused’s Call Detail Records (CDR), as a significant lead in the investigation. Investigators suspect it may have been the final communication before the alleged murder was carried out.

Investigators Probe Final Call

According to the report, investigators believe Goyal used the call to share her exact location at a viewpoint on the fort and allegedly informed Chaudhary that the area was deserted, allowing the plan to be executed. Separately, Pune Rural Police told ANI that Goyal allegedly gave Chaudhary a pre-decided visual signal moments before the incident.

Police claim she sat down on the ground pretending to drink water, a move investigators believe was intended to keep her away from Ketan so he could not grab her while allegedly being pushed into the gorge. “In the ongoing probe, it has come to light that the crime was allegedly planned by accused Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary,” a Pune Rural Police official told ANI.

Investigators allege the conspiracy was finalised during a meeting at a cafe in Pune’s Lullanagar a day before the incident. CCTV footage recovered from the area is being examined as part of the investigation. Police also suspect the accused rehearsed the alleged crime before carrying it out and are attempting to identify where those rehearsals took place.

Deleted Chats Under Forensic Analysis

The investigation has now shifted to recovering deleted digital evidence. Police suspect the accused erased WhatsApp messages, Instagram chats and voice notes exchanged over nearly three months in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Cyber experts are working to retrieve the deleted data while investigators compare recovered conversations with location records, IP logs and other digital evidence to establish the sequence of events.

According to investigators, Chaudhary allegedly switched off his mobile internet around 7 am on the day of the incident and left his personal phone at his workplace to avoid creating a digital trail. Police claim he later travelled to Lohagad Fort carrying another employee’s phone while his colleagues attended calls on his device.

Investigators also noted that Chaudhary was seen on CCTV wearing a thick winter hoodie despite the warm weather, a detail they believe was intended to conceal his identity. Police allege he remained offline for nearly 10 hours before reconnecting to the internet later that evening.

Motive and Earlier Attempt Being Investigated

According to NDTV, investigators believe the alleged murder conspiracy had been finalised by the end of May. Police also allege there was an earlier attempt on Ketan’s life on June 14. Investigators claim he survived after grabbing onto a bush, following which Goyal allegedly told him she had accidentally pushed him after spotting a snake.

According to police, Chaudhary accompanied the couple to Lohagad Fort on June 18 to ensure Ketan did not escape during the alleged second attempt. Investigators allege Goyal, who got engaged to Ketan on February 19 and was scheduled to marry him later this year, did not wish to go ahead with the marriage as she was allegedly in a relationship with Chaudhary.

Police are also examining claims that the accused allegedly wanted to postpone marriage for several years before eventually marrying each other. Both accused were arrested on June 23 and were remanded to seven days of police custody until June 29.

The Maharashtra government has approved a fast-track court to hear the case and appointed senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor after Ketan’s family sought a speedy trial.