Just months before a lavish destination wedding in Udaipur, a young couple from Pune appeared to be preparing for a life together. Today, one of them is dead and the other stands accused of orchestrating a murder plot that has stunned the country.
Twenty-year-old Siya Goyal, daughter of a prominent Pune business family, has been arrested along with her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, for the death of her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, a 26-year-old real estate executive. Police claim the murder was carefully planned and disguised as a trekking accident at Lohagad Fort near Lonavala.
The case has drawn comparisons with last year's high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder due to the alleged involvement of a romantic partner in a meticulously planned killing.
A wedding worth crores that never happened
Hindustan Times noted that Siya Goyal comes from an affluent business family based in Pune's Bibwewadi area. Her family are involved in the dry fruits trade and enjoy strong business connections in the city.
She got engaged to Ketan Agarwal in February 2026 through a family arrangement. Ketan was a director at Success Group, a family-run real estate firm.
The two families had reportedly spared no expense for their upcoming wedding in November. The ceremony was planned in Udaipur, with luxury hotels already booked and an estimated budget of around ₹14 crore earmarked for celebrations.
According to reports, Ketan had also been preparing a grand birthday surprise for Siya, spending weeks planning celebrations ahead of her 20th birthday on June 19.
Also Read | Lohagad death mystery deepens: Police suspect earlier attempt on Ketan Agarwal's life
Police say a secret relationship fuelled the conspiracy
Investigators allege that Siya had been involved in a relationship with Chetan Chaudhary for nearly a year.
Chetan also belonged to a business family in Pune and reportedly knew Siya through shared business circles. Police claim the pair remained in regular contact despite Siya's engagement.
Authorities now believe the duo decided to eliminate Ketan before the marriage could take place.
According to the Hindustan Times, the plan was not impulsive. It allegedly involved multiple attempts and careful preparation.
Also Read | Ketan Agarwal murder case: How a hoodie in 33C heat turned an accident probe into a murder investigation
How the alleged murder plot unfolded
According to the Hindustan Times, police say Siya first attempted to kill Ketan during a trek to Lohagad Fort earlier in June. During that visit, she allegedly tried to push him after claiming she had seen a snake nearby. The attempt failed.
Days later, she insisted on returning to Lohagad Fort on June 18, just a day before her birthday.
It was during this second trip that investigators allege Siya and Chetan executed the plan.
Initially, Siya informed authorities that Ketan had accidentally slipped while taking photographs and fallen into a gorge.
However, investigators became suspicious after piecing together multiple clues, including her insistence on revisiting the fort, Ketan's missing passport and unusual movements by Chetan.
Police eventually concluded that Ketan had been deliberately pushed from the cliff.
Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have since been arrested and booked under sections related to murder and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Both have been remanded to police custody as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding one of Pune's most shocking crimes of the year.
