Siya Goyal Learnt From Sonam Raghuvanshi’s Mistakes While Planning Crime: Police

The investigation into the alleged murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal has uncovered striking similarities with the Raja Raghuvanshi case, with police claiming the accused may have studied the earlier murder While planning the crime.

According to officers familiar with the investigation, Siya Goyal and her alleged accomplice, Chetan Chaudhary, appear to have drawn lessons from the Raja Raghuvanshi murder, in which newlywed Sonam Raghuvanshi is accused of orchestrating her husband’s killing. Investigators believe the Pune duo refined their alleged plan by creating stronger alibis and taking greater precautions to avoid detection.

Speaking to NDTV, police officers said the investigation was complicated by what they described as meticulous planning. Investigators spent days unravelling multiple alibis before confronting the accused with evidence gathered during the probe. While statements made in police custody are not admissible as evidence on their own, officers said they helped direct the investigation and recover corroborative material.

Police rejected the suggestion that the alleged murder was driven by a single trigger.

“It was a crime born out of desperation. Personal relationships, family dynamics and societal expectations all appear to have influenced Siya’s thinking. It wasn’t one factor but several that ultimately led to the decision,” an officer associated with the probe said.

Another investigator alleged that the accused had planned not only the killing but also an escape strategy.

“There was clear intent to commit the crime. They allegedly created alibis and planned every stage with the objective of avoiding detection, prosecution and conviction,” the officer said.

Investigators also claimed that neither Siya Goyal nor Chetan Chaudhary has expressed remorse since their arrest. Both are currently in judicial custody.

Police said the case might have remained unsolved had investigators accepted the initial appearance of an accidental fall. While Ketan Agarwal’s family consistently questioned that theory, officers also became suspicious because the location at Lohagad Fort where he fell was not among the trek’s most hazardous points.

According to investigators, forensic analysis of a mobile phone recovered from Siya Goyal revealed that she had searched for news reports on the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case during the planning stage. Police believe this suggests she attempted to understand how the earlier investigation unfolded and avoid similar mistakes.

The browsing history also allegedly showed searches related to whether women are assaulted in police custody and the legal rights available to female prisoners.

Police have seized a second mobile phone from the Goyal residence, which has been sent for forensic examination. Investigators hope the device will provide further evidence regarding the alleged planning and execution of the murder.

Officers further claimed that both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary pushed Ketan Agarwal off the cliff together. Investigators believe this was a deliberate part of the alleged plan, as Siya alone may not have been able to ensure he fell into the gorge.

Reacting to the developments, Uma Raghuvanshi, the mother of Raja Raghuvanshi, said the Pune case brought back memories of her son’s murder. She alleged that the accused in both cases had shown no remorse and expressed concern that bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi while her trial continues could embolden others accused of similar crimes.