Pune: Police Probe Whether Siya Deleted Evidence After Taking Ketan’s Phone Before Lohagad Fort Murder
Pune: Police Probe Whether Siya Deleted Evidence After Taking Ketan’s Phone Before Lohagad Fort Murder
Pune, July 2, 2026: Investigators probing the alleged murder of 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal have uncovered a crucial detail suggesting the crime may have been carefully planned. Police say 20-year-old Siya Goyal took possession of Ketan’s mobile phone moments before he was allegedly pushed off Lohagad Fort near Pune by her boyfriend, Chetan. Authorities are now examining whether any digital evidence was erased while the phone was in her custody.
According to officials involved in the investigation, Siya returned Ketan’s phone to one of his relatives after the incident. The device, along with the mobile phones of the accused, has been sent for forensic examination to determine whether messages, call records, or other evidence were deleted.
The investigation has already revealed that Siya and Chetan allegedly erased their own chat history in an attempt to conceal evidence of the conspiracy. Police believe the two had agreed on a pre-decided signal before reaching the fort. As per investigators, Siya was to sit down at a specific location, signalling Chetan—who was reportedly waiting nearby in a hoodie—to carry out the attack.
Police say that on the morning of June 18, Siya and Ketan visited Lohagad Fort while Chetan arrived separately and maintained a distance to avoid attracting attention. Once the couple reached the chosen spot, Siya allegedly gave the agreed signal by sitting on the ground. Investigators claim Chetan then approached from behind and pushed Ketan into the gorge.
Officials also believe the accused took steps to avoid leaving a digital trail. According to police, Chetan deliberately left his own mobile phone at home and instead carried the phone of a worker employed in his family’s business. Investigators say this move points to prior planning and strengthens the case for premeditated murder.
On Tuesday, police escorted 22-year-old Chetan to Lohagad Fort to recreate the sequence of events at the crime scene. Siya had earlier been taken to the location as part of the ongoing investigation.
Investigators are further relying on CCTV footage and conducting gait analysis to establish Chetan’s presence at the fort on the day of the incident. Gait analysis is a forensic technique that studies a person’s walking pattern to help identify individuals, particularly when facial features are obscured or video quality is poor.
The case gained widespread attention after what initially appeared to be an accidental fall was investigated as a suspected murder. Police allege that Siya and Ketan became engaged on February 19 after their families arranged the match, with their wedding planned for later this year.
During the investigation, police concluded that Siya had been in a relationship with Chetan since October and was unwilling to marry Ketan. Investigators allege that the couple conspired to kill Ketan by pushing him off the fort and intended to make the incident appear to be an accident. However, evidence collected during the probe led police to treat the case as a planned homicide.
