Pune:
The father of Ketan Agarwal, who was allegedly pushed to his death from a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune June 18, has rejected claims that his son’s use of a hair wig provided the motive for the killing. Vishal Agarwal said the matter of his son’s minor hair loss had been openly discussed with Siya Goyal and her family long before the engagement.
“Ketan had a small patch of hair loss due to medical reasons, but this was clearly communicated well before the marriage was finalised,” Vishal Agarwal said.
“If she had any issues, she could have just said no,” he added. “It would have been very easy for Siya to simply call off the wedding if that was an issue for her.”
READ | Siya Goyal’s Lover Forced Her To Murder Fiance? Blackmail Angle Under Probe
Ketan Agarwal, 25, a director and chief marketing officer in his family’s real estate business, Success Group, died after falling from the fort. Police now say the death was not an accident but the result of a conspiracy involving his fiancee Siya, 20, and her 22-year-old lover Chetan Chaudhary.
Police Probe
The case was initially registered as an accidental death after Siya told the family that Ketan had slipped while trekking. Further scrutiny began after police reviewed CCTV footage from the fort’s ticket counter. The police noticed a man in a hoodie and shorts walking a few metres behind the couple.
The temperature that day was around 33 degrees Celsius. In one segment of footage, Siya was seen looking back as the man in the hoodie sat down suddenly. Police later identified the man as Chetan.
According to the police, Siya had repeatedly suggested visits to Lohagad Fort in the weeks before the incident. On May 31, she took Ketan there. She insisted on another visit on June 4, which his mother prevented. On June 14 she allegedly attempted to push him from the cliff, but he grabbed a bush. When he questioned her, she claimed there had been a snake.
Police say the pair planned to kill Ketan before a scheduled pre-wedding photoshoot in Bali. That trip was cancelled after Ketan’s passport went missing. Analysis of call records showed thousands of calls between Siya and Chetan, including conversations lasting several hours.
Police arrested both on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy.
During interrogation, Chetan reportedly told officers that Siya did not want to call off the engagement and elope, fearing it would bring disrespect to her family.
Siya Goyal’s Family Response
Siya’s mother has said her daughter was reluctant to visit Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident. She claimed that on the evening of June 17, during a video call, Ketan and his mother had persuaded Siya to go, despite her mentioning a function the next day and her wish to rest.
Siya’s father dismissed reports of extravagant wedding spending. He confirmed the wedding was planned for Udaipur in November and that the family had booked 70 rooms at a hotel charging around Rs 81,000 per couple per day. The total expenditure, he said, would not have exceeded Rs 3 crore.
Political Reaction
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Vishal Agarwal in Pune on Friday. He assured the family that those responsible would face strict punishment. The government has agreed to hold the trial in a fast-track court and has appointed senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor.
“We need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and desire for revenge,” Fadnavis said. “This is not merely a criminal issue, it also has a social angle. Society must create a strong support system to ensure such vengeful thinking does not develop among young people.”
