Ketan Agarwal death: Inside FIR that prompted Lohagad Fort murder investigation

WION has accessed crucial details of the First Information Report (FIR) registered by Lonavala Rural Police on the complaint of Vishal Agarwal, father of 26-year-old Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal, shedding light on the family's allegations and the sequence of events leading up to his death at Lohagad Fort. The FIR, registered on June 23under Sections 103(1) (murder)and 61(2)of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), lays out why Ketan's father believes his son's death was not an accident but the result of a pre-planned conspiracy allegedly involving Ketan's fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged boyfriend, Chetan Chaudhary. The allegations contained in the FIR represent the complainant's version of events and are currently under investigation. They have not been proven in court.

Engagement arranged through relatives

According to the complaint, Vishal Agarwal's maternal uncle introduced Siya Goyal's family for Ketan's marriage. After both families agreed, the couple got engaged at Pune's Ritz-Carlton Hotel in February 2026. The complaint states that Ketan and Siya regularly met after the engagement. However, Ketan later began asking his father whether the family had thoroughly verified Siya's background. Vishal Agarwal says he reassured his son that Siya belonged to their extended family and that all necessary inquiries had been made before the engagement.

Repeated visits to Lohagad Fort

A recurring point in the complaint is Siya Goyal's alleged insistence on visiting Lohagad Fort. According to Vishal Agarwal, Ketan informed the family on May 30that Siya wanted to visit the fort. The couple travelled there on May 31and returned safely.

The complaint further alleges that on June 4, Siya again wanted to visit Lohagad. Since the couple had already made the trip recently, the family advised against another visit.

Bali trip cancelled after passport goes missing

The FIR also details a planned pre-wedding photoshoot in Bali, Indonesia.

According to the complaint, tickets had been booked nearly two months in advance. On June 6, Ketan, his sister Sajana, Siya Goyal and Siya's brother Sahil left for Mumbai Airport.

However, after reaching the airport, Ketan allegedly realised his passport was missing from his bag, forcing the group to cancel the trip and return home. The complaint states that after returning, Ketan told his father Siya had been arguing with him over minor issues for nearly a month.

Ketan allegedly mentioned Chetan Chaudhary

The complaint further states that after another visit to Lohagad Fort, Vishal Agarwal again asked his son whether everything was fine. According to the FIR, Ketan allegedly said Siya's phone was frequently busy and that she often mentioned a man named Chetan Chaudharyduring conversations. Vishal Agarwal also claims Ketan had heard from others that Siya might have been involved in another relationship. However, family members, including Ketan's sister Sajana and uncle Vijay Agarwal, allegedly reassured him that Siya belonged to their extended family and advised him not to misunderstand the situation.

WhatsApp call before the final trip

The complaint alleges that around 11 pm on June 17, Siya Goyal made a WhatsApp call asking Ketan to accompany her to Lohagad Fort the next morning. Ketan informed his mother, Rakhi Agarwal, about the request.

Initially, Rakhi allegedly refused permission, pointing out that the couple had already visited the fort several times. However, according to the complaint, Siya personally spoke to Rakhi over the phone, saying June 19 was her birthday and requesting permission to celebrate with a visit to Lohagad Fort. The family eventually agreed.

Timeline of June 18

The complaint provides a detailed timeline of the day Ketan died.

According to the FIR:

• Siya allegedly informed Ketan that she was waiting near Kiwale Bridgeon the Pune-Mumbai Highway.
• Around 8.30 am, Ketan left home in a company vehicle.
• At around 10.45 am, Siya's mother, Pooja Goyal, allegedly called Rakhi Agarwal informing her that Ketan had fallen into a valley at Lohagad Fort and asked the family to rush there.

When the family reached the spot, police and local residents were already present. Ketan was rescued from the valley and taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead before treatment could begin. His body was subsequently sent for post-mortem examination.

Why the family suspected murder

According to the complaint, on June 21, Vishal Agarwal, his brother Vijay Agarwal and family friends revisited the spot where Ketan allegedly fell. After inspecting the location, they concluded it did not appear consistent with an accidental fall. Based on this visit, Vishal Agarwal states in the complaint that he suspected his son's death was not accidental.

Allegation of conspiracy

The complaint alleges that Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary were in a romantic relationship and had conspired to kill Ketan. Vishal Agarwal alleges the two intentionally pushed Ketan into the valley from Lohagad Fort at around 10.45 am on June 18, causing his death. He requested police to register a murder case against both accused.

Investigation gathers pace

Based on the complaint, Lonavala Rural Police registered FIR No. 168/2026under Sections 103(1)and 61(2)of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Since then, Pune Rural Police have arrested Siya Goyaland Chetan Chaudhary, reconstructed the alleged crime scene at Lohagad Fort, conducted gait analysis, examined forensic evidence and continued recovering digital evidence, including allegedly deleted WhatsApp conversations and call records.

On Wednesday (July 1), investigators also took Chetan Chaudhary to Lohagad Fort for another reconstruction exercise as part of the ongoing probe. Both accused remain in police custody until July 3. Meanwhile, Chetan Chaudhary's lawyer has argued before the court that the FIR and police remand papers do not assign any specific overt role to his client and has maintained that the allegations remain unsubstantiated. The investigation is ongoing, and the court is yet to determine the merits of the prosecution's case.