Siya's brother grilled for 10 hours as deleted chats, 2,004 calls come under scanner
The investigation into the alleged murder of 26-year-old Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has gathered pace, with the Lonavala Rural Police expanding their probe and questioning more people linked to the accused.
On Friday, officers interrogated Sahil Goyal, the brother of the accused Siya Goyal, for nearly 10 hours before allowing him to leave late in the evening.
Police said Sahil was questioned because he was acquainted with co-accused Chetan Chaudhary and could help investigators verify crucial aspects of the case.
Siya and her alleged lover, Chaudhary, have been arrested for allegedly pushing Ketan Agarwal off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18.
Phones sent for forensic examination
Investigators said the accused had erased their entire chat history as well as the contents of their recycle bins before and after the alleged crime.
Their mobile phones have now been sent to a forensic laboratory in an attempt to recover the deleted conversations.
According to officials associated with the investigation, both accused admitted during questioning that they had deleted messages exchanged before June 18 and again after the incident.
Police believe the deliberate deletion of digital evidence points towards careful planning.
The investigation has also revealed that Siya (20) and Chaudhary (22) had remained in frequent contact for nearly six months before the alleged murder.
Their call records reportedly show 2,004 phone calls amounting to nearly 238 hours of conversation.
Police are also examining CCTV footage that allegedly shows the duo meeting at a café on the day of the incident.
Investigators suspect the meeting was used to finalise the murder plan and identify the exact location at Lohagad Fort where Ketan was allegedly pushed into the gorge.
Police say roles of both accused established
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Lonavala Division) Gajanan Tonpe said investigators have established the involvement of both accused in the case.
Police have indicated that more relatives and friends of the accused will be questioned in the coming days as the investigation progresses.
Officials said Chaudhary initially denied being at the exact spot where the incident occurred, but inconsistencies in his statements surfaced during sustained interrogation.
According to police, both accused eventually admitted their roles and narrated the sequence of events.
Investigators claim Siya disclosed that she gave a pre-arranged signal to Chetan after sitting down near the cliff edge. Acting on that cue, Chaudhary allegedly approached from behind and pushed Ketan into the gorge.
Fadnavis assures support to victim's family
The case has also drawn the attention of the Maharashtra government. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, in Pune and assured the family of the state's full support.
The government has agreed to the family's request for the matter to be heard in a fast-track court and has appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor.
Speaking to reporters later, Fadnavis described the incident as deeply disturbing and said it reflected a worrying social trend that deserved serious introspection.
Police said Agarwal and Siya were scheduled to marry in November. Investigators allege that Siya conspired with Chaudhary to eliminate her fiancé and carried out the plan.
Meanwhile, Siya's mother has maintained that her daughter was unwilling to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18. She claimed the deceased and his mother persuaded Siya to join the trip despite her reluctance.
According to her, Agarwal spoke to Siya over a video call on the evening of June 17 and requested her to accompany him to Lohagad.
During the call, his mother also urged her to come along. Siya allegedly told them she wanted to skip the hike because she had an event the following day and wished to rest.