The investigation into the murder of Pune-based businessman Ketan Agarwal has uncovered what police describe as a carefully planned conspiracy, with investigators alleging that the two accused not only admitted to their roles during questioning but also attempted to wipe out digital evidence by deleting months of conversations from their mobile phones.

According to Pune Rural Police, 20-year-old Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, 22, erased their chat history from both their devices, including deleted files stored in the recycle bins, before and after the June 18 killing. The phones have now been sent to a forensic laboratory, where experts are attempting to recover the deleted conversations that investigators believe could reveal how the murder was planned.

Investigators said Chaudhary initially denied being at the exact location where Agarwal was pushed from a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district. However, officers claimed inconsistencies in his statements surfaced during interrogation, eventually leading both accused to confess to the crime.

According to police, the duo narrated the sequence of events after sustained questioning, with investigators concluding that both played active and pre-planned roles in the killing.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Tonpe said the investigation has clearly established the involvement of both accused. Police have also questioned Goyal's brother and are expected to summon more relatives and friends as part of the ongoing probe.

Months of calls, cafe meeting and an alleged murder plan

Investigators believe the alleged conspiracy was not spontaneous. Police said Goyal and Chaudhary had remained in frequent contact for nearly six months, exchanging 2,004 phone calls that lasted a combined 238 hours.

On the day of the incident, the pair allegedly met at a cafe to finalise the murder plan before travelling to Lohagad Fort. Police claim they identified the exact location where Agarwal would be attacked.

According to investigators, the plan involved Goyal giving a pre-arranged signal by sitting down, after which Chaudhary allegedly approached from behind and pushed the unsuspecting Agarwal into the gorge.

Government orders fast-track prosecution

The case has drawn the attention of the Maharashtra government. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met the victim's father, Vishal Agarwal, in Pune and assured the family of full support during the investigation and trial.

The state government has accepted the family's request to have the matter heard in a fast-track court and has appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor.

Wedding planned for November

According to investigators, Goyal and Agarwal were engaged and scheduled to marry in November. Police allege that Goyal was unwilling to go ahead with the marriage and, together with Chaudhary, conspired to eliminate Agarwal.

Meanwhile, Goyal's parents have maintained that their daughter did not want to accompany Agarwal on the trek to Lohagad Fort. Her mother claimed that Agarwal and his mother persuaded Siya during a video call on June 17 to join the outing despite her reluctance.

Her father also dismissed reports that the family had planned an extravagant wedding with a chartered aircraft, saying the ceremony was to be held in Udaipur with around 70 hotel rooms booked at a total cost of less than Rs 3 crore.

With PTI inputs