Love, Betrayal, and a ₹14 Crore Wedding: How Pune Businessman Ketan Agarwal Was Allegedly Murdered by His Fiancée
PUNE — A chilling tale of deceit has deeply shaken Pune’s elite business circles. What was initially reported as a tragic accidental death at the historic Lohagad Fort near Lonavala has rapidly unravelled into a cold-blooded murder conspiracy. The victim, 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal, director of the real estate firm Success Group, was allegedly pushed to his death by his 20-year-old fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her secret lover, Chetan Chaudhary.
As police piece together the grim timeline, the incident—occurring just months before a highly anticipated, multi-crore wedding—has thrust the accused heiress into the national spotlight.
Who is Siya Goyal?
Siya Goyal hails from an affluent business family residing in Bibwewadi, Pune, with deep ties to the regional dry fruits trade. In February of this year, an arranged match facilitated by Ketan’s maternal uncle culminated in their engagement.
The two high-profile families were actively preparing for a lavish destination wedding in Udaipur scheduled for November, with hotel bookings confirmed and an estimated budget of ₹14 crore set aside for the celebrations. However, beneath the veneer of this high-society alliance, Siya was reportedly maintaining a clandestine relationship. Police reveal she had been involved with Chetan Chaudhary for roughly a year, a man whose family operates within the same local business circles.
The Murder Plot at Lohagad Fort
According to the ongoing police investigation, the fatal incident on June 18 was highly premeditated. Investigators discovered that the couple had visited the Lohagad Fort for a trek just four days prior to the murder. During that initial trip, Siya allegedly made a failed attempt to push Ketan off a cliff, using a fabricated story about spotting a snake to create panic.
Undeterred, she reportedly insisted on a second trek to the same location on June 18, exactly a day before her 20th birthday. It was during this trip that Siya and Chetan allegedly executed the plot, pushing Ketan off the edge. Siya initially attempted to mislead the authorities, claiming her fiancé had slipped and fallen while taking photographs.
However, glaring inconsistencies unraveled the "accident" theory. Crucial clues—including Ketan’s suddenly missing passport, Siya's bizarre insistence on returning to the fort, and CCTV footage showing Chetan wearing a conspicuous hoodie in peak summer heat—helped investigators crack the murder plot.
Missed Red Flags and Heartbreak
The tragedy is compounded by a bitter irony currently circulating on social media: videos showing Ketan meticulously organizing a grand 20th birthday celebration for Siya, an event he spent nearly a month planning.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Ketan’s grieving father, Vishal Agarwal, revealed a heartbreaking detail. He stated that his son had previously raised concerns about Siya's behaviour, but the family tragically overlooked those warnings in the lead-up to the wedding.
A Disturbing Criminal Pattern
The meticulously planned betrayal bears an eerie resemblance to the infamous Raja Raghuvanshi murder case from last year, where a groom was killed by his wife during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Both cases highlight a disturbing trend of extreme, fatal measures taken to escape arranged marriages within affluent networks, rather than opting for legal or familial interventions to break the engagements.
Following their alleged confessions, both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been formally booked for murder and criminal conspiracy. They are charged under sections 103 and 61(2) of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The duo was officially arrested and remanded to seven days of police custody on Tuesday as authorities finalize the charge sheet.
Our Final Thoughts
The tragic death of Ketan Agarwal is a harrowing reminder of how quickly arranged societal pressures and hidden lives can turn fatal. The meticulous nature of the plot—faking an accident, the failed first attempt, and the chilling timing right before a grand birthday celebration—shows a profound lack of empathy from the accused. This case must serve as a wake-up call for families to take pre-wedding hesitations and behavioral "red flags" seriously. No societal expectation or ₹14 crore wedding preparation is worth ignoring a partner's genuine concerns.
