Ketan Agarwal murder case: Cricket link surfaces in police investigation

Investigation in the Ketan Agarwal murder case has unraveled a cricket angle to the crime. Police has reportedly come to know that the accused Siya Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, first came into contact through cricket.

Police said that Goyal's brother, Sahil, has said during investigation that he knew Chaudhary through cricket adding that his sister frequently attended his matches, where she first met Chaudhary. The two later reconnected at a mutual friend's Diwali party last year, after which they grew increasingly close, police said, reported NDTV.

Cricket link emerges

According to media reports call detail records show Goyal and Chaudhary remained in constant touch, exchanging more than 2,000 phone calls since January that lasted a combined 238 hours. Investigators believe the communication could provide key evidence supporting the alleged conspiracy.

Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder: Siya gave signal, her lover pushed fiancé into gorge, say cops

Investigators are also probing whether Goyal's family knew about the relationship before her engagement to Agarwal and are questioning relatives to establish how much they were aware of. While Sahil reportedly acknowledged knowing Chaudhary, Goyal's parents have maintained they were unaware of any relationship between the two.

Earlier, her mother said Goyal never expressed reservations about the arranged marriage and that she had never met or spoken to Chaudhary. Goyal's lawyer, however, has reportedly described Chaudhary as a "friend".

Pune meeting probed

Investigators have also traced a meeting between Goyal and Chaudhary at a café in Pune's Lullanagar area on June 17, a day before Agarwal's death at Lohagad Fort. Police are examining whether the hour-long meeting was used to discuss or finalise the alleged murder plot.

Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder: Accused Siya's parents seek harshest punishment if she is found guilty

Agarwal died after falling from a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18. Police allege Goyal, who was engaged to marry him in November, conspired with Chaudhary to kill him because she no longer wanted to go ahead with the wedding.

According to investigators both accused deleted WhatsApp chats, Instagram conversations and other data from their mobile phones before and after the incident. The devices have been sent for forensic analysis to recover erased records and reconstruct their communications leading up to the alleged crime.

Police theory

Police said that Chaudhary initially denied being near the cliff before changing his version during interrogation. Investigators claim Goyal gave a pre-arranged signal by sitting down, after which Chaudhary allegedly approached from behind and pushed Agarwal into the gorge, reported the Times of India.

Also Read: Lohagad murder accused made 2,000 phone calls, met at cafe before push: Police

According to an NDTV report quoting police sources, Goyal allegedly told investigators that ending the engagement seemed more difficult than killing her fiancé because she did not want to upset her family by calling off the marriage. The report further stated that she believed Agarwal's death would postpone any pressure to marry again for several years.

Conflicting claims

Goyal has reportedly told investigators that she disliked Agarwal because he wore a hair patch. Agarwal's father dismissed the allegation, saying such a reason could never justify murder and that she should have simply refused the marriage if she had objections.

Goyal's mother, however, has disputed parts of the prosecution's narrative. She claimed her daughter was reluctant to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18 and agreed to the trip only after repeated requests from Agarwal and his mother during a video call the previous evening.

"The roles of both Siya and Chetan have been established in the alleged murder of Ketan,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Tonp said as quoted in media reports.