Ketan Agarwal murder: Siya, Chetan's 'secret marriage' under probe
Investigators are examining digital evidence, chat records, and possible marriage documents to verify whether the accused secretly married
The investigation in the Ketan Agarwal murder case has taken a new turn with the police now suspecting that the two accused- his fiancée Siya Goyal and her lover Chetan Chaudhary-got secretly married a few months before the killing, with investigators saying that a probe has started to confirm this.
Marriage angle probed
The development comes weeks after Goyal (20) and Chaudhary (22) allegedly pushed 25-year-old Agarwal to his death from a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18. Agarwal and Goyal were set to marry in November this year.
Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder: Siya Goyal taken to the alleged rehearsal spot, clothes recovered
"Analysis of chats exchanged between Siya and Chetan indicates that they had secretly married. There are also unconfirmed reports about their marriage. We are verifying this claim and also checking whether the marriage was legally registered," a senior official from the Pune Rural Police said as quoted by PTI.
Police are also examining digital evidence recovered from the accused, including mobile phone data and chat records, as part of the ongoing probe into the alleged conspiracy behind Agarwal's murder.
Conspiracy under lens
According to the police, Goyal and Chaudhary allegedly conspired to eliminate Agarwal as he was turning out to be an obstacle in their relationship.
Investigators claim the duo had planned the murder meticulously and rehearsed the act before allegedly executing it.
Both the accused are currently in judicial custody.
Certificate, witnesses checked
According to an NDTV report, police are verifying whether the accused couple had legally registered their marriage under the Special Marriage Act. Investigators are checking if a marriage certificate was issued, as its existence could invalidate Goyal's engagement to Agarwal, which took place in February.
Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder case: What is gait analysis and why are police using it?
The report, quoting sources, further stated that the police are also questioning two of Goyal's college friends who are suspected to have signed the marriage documents as witnesses.
Digital trail examined
The investigation has further expanded to digital evidence, with technical teams attempting to retrieve deleted photographs from a private Instagram account. The images reportedly showed Goyal and Chaudhary wearing wedding garlands, stated the report, quoting sources.
Also Read: Ketan Agarwal murder case: What is gait analysis and why are police using it?
Investigators reportedly believe the alleged murder conspiracy may have been accelerated after Agarwal's family sought Goyal's documents for the couple's planned destination wedding in Udaipur. The police are also scrutinising Chaudhary's bank records to determine whether he paid a middleman to bypass the mandatory public notice required under the Special Marriage Act and facilitate the alleged secret marriage.