The investigation into the alleged murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal took an emotional turn after Pooja Goyal, the mother of the accused Siya Goyal, said her daughter should receive the harshest punishment if found guilty.
Speaking to the media, she said that whoever is responsible for Ketan’s death should be punished, “even if it is my daughter,” adding that Siya should be thrown from the same spot at Lohagad Fort if a court convicts her.
Pooja Goyal also claimed that Siya had initially refused to go to Lohagad Fort.
“The night before the incident, Siya and Ketan had a video call about going to Lohagad Fort. When Ketan’s mother joined the call, Siya said she did not want to go on the trek. However, Ketan and his mother persuaded her. Their chat messages show that Siya was reluctant, while Ketan kept convincing her to accompany him,” she alleged.
Police to recreate crime scene
According to police sources, elaborate preparations have been made to recreate the crime scene at Lohagad Fort, although the exact date and time of the exercise have been kept confidential for security and investigative reasons, IANS reported.
Investigators said the reconstruction will help establish the sequence of events leading to Ketan’s death and verify the version of events put forward by the accused.
During the exercise, police will attempt to determine the positions of Ketan, Siya and co-accused Chetan Babulal Chaudhary at the time of the incident, identify the exact point from which Ketan was allegedly pushed, and assess the trajectory and distance of his fall into the ravine. A dummy body will be used for the reconstruction, reported IANS.
With no eyewitnesses to the incident, the investigation is largely based on circumstantial evidence. Police said they are examining every aspect of the case and have so far recorded statements from seven individuals.
Employee may turn key witness
Among those questioned is Neeraj, an employee at Chetan’s shop, who was detained and interrogated for more than 24 hours. Police, however, said they found no evidence of his direct involvement in the alleged crime.
Investigators said Neeraj admitted that Chetan had used his mobile phone on the day of the incident but claimed he had no knowledge of Chetan’s alleged intentions.
Police are now considering making him a key witness, alleging that Chetan left his own mobile phone behind and used Neeraj’s device to communicate with Siya on the day of the incident.
Police allege premeditated murder
Police have alleged that Siya Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, pushed Ketan Agarwal from Lohagad Fort in Maharashtra’s Sahyadri range on June 18, killing him. The incident was initially reported as an accidental fall during a trek before investigators alleged it was a planned murder.
According to police, Siya claimed in her statement that Ketan had told her his family was influential and financially powerful and that she would not be able to back out of the marriage even if she tried to run away. These claims remain subject to judicial scrutiny.
Investigators further alleged that Siya made multiple attempts to bring Ketan to Lohagad Fort before the incident. The couple first visited the fort on May 31.
Another visit planned for June 4 did not take place after Ketan’s mother reportedly refused permission. Police also claim that during a visit on June 14, Siya allegedly attempted to push Ketan off a cliff, but he survived by grabbing a bush. When questioned, she allegedly claimed she had seen a snake and pushed him to save him.
Police allege Ketan was eventually killed during another visit to the fort on June 18.
The investigation is ongoing.
(With IANS inputs)
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: