How cops were able to crack Pune fort murder
What's the story
The mysterious death of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort on June 18 received a big breakthrough after cops reviewed CCTV footage from the day of the incident. The case, initially suspected to be an accident, turned into a murder investigation after CCTV footage revealed a hooded man trailing Ketan and his fiancee Siya Goyal. The man was later identified as Chetan Chaudhary.
Evidence uncovered
Investigators noticed Chetan was wearing a hoodie
According to police, the CCTV footage from the fort's ticket counter showed Chetan following Ketan and Siya. Investigators noticed that Chetan was wearing a hoodie, which was unusual for the 33-degree Celsius weather. This raised suspicions about his intentions. Further investigation revealed that Chetan had left his phone at work and turned off its internet services from 7:00am to 5:40pm. He carried an employee's phone instead on the day of Ketan's murder.
Cops
Man was wearing shorts and a hoodie
"The man was wearing shorts and a hoodie. The front part of the hoodie was pulled so low that his face could not be seen. Additionally, the man was wearing a headset over the hoodie. In another footage clip, we noticed Siya suddenly looking back and, at the same time, the man in the hoodie suddenly sitting down," an official said.
Case reconstruction
Chetan was not part of Siya's group
Investigators believe Chetan was not part of Siya's group when they arrived at Lohagad Fort. When Siya's group arrived at a point on the fort where the gorge fell abruptly, investigators believed Chetan joined them from behind. Ketan fell about 400 feet and died. After Ketan's death, Siya called the police and claimed he slipped while taking photographs near a valley due to strong winds. The police initially registered an accidental death report based on her statement.
Digital evidence
Extensive communication between Siya and Chetan
However, a technical analysis of call detail records and digital communication data revealed extensive communication between Siya and Chetan. This pointed toward a well-thought-out conspiracy. Investigators also found thousands of calls exchanged between the two over an extended period, including several conversations lasting for hours. "The investigation showed that Siya was unwilling to marry Ketan and considered him an obstacle to her relationship with Chetan," police said. The accused pair had met last year at a business meeting.
Past incidents
Siya was not in favor of calling off engagement
"During the interrogation, Chetan was asked why they did not consider running away....According to him, Siya was not in favor of calling off the engagement and eloping with Chetan, as she thought doing so would bring disrespect to her family," the officer said. Ketan and Siya were engaged in February, with a wedding planned for November in Udaipur. Ketan's family members revealed that Siya had expressed doubts about the marriage and asked if it could be postponed by a year.
Confessions made
Both suspects are in custody
According to police, Ketan's sister Sanjana and other family told them that Siya had frequently asked Ketan to visit Lohagad Fort. Siya's first attempt to kill Ketan on June 14 failed when he managed to grab a cliffside bush after being pushed. To cover her tracks, Siya screamed about a fake snake sighting before hugging him. On June 18, they succeeded in killing Ketan. Both suspects are now in custody and have reportedly confessed their involvement during interrogation.