New Delhi: In a major development in the investigation into the murder of Pune-based businessman and realtor Ketan Agarwal, the Pune Rural Police on Thursday have recovered the clothes allegedly worn by prime accused Siya Goyal on the day of the incident.
The clothes were seized from her residence and will be sent for forensic examination as investigators continue to gather evidence.
A police team took Siya to her residence on Thursday morning, where the recovery was made as part of the ongoing investigation. According to officials, the seized clothes are expected to undergo forensic analysis to determine whether they contain any evidence that could help establish the sequence of events surrounding the alleged murder.
The recovery comes as the Pune Rural Police continue to investigate what they describe as a meticulously planned conspiracy. According to the investigation, Siya and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary allegedly rehearsed the murder before carrying it out at Lohagad Fort in Pune district.
Police on Thursday also conducted a crucial crime scene reconstruction at an open ground in Pune’s Lullanagar area. Investigators believe the location was used by Siya and Chaudhary to allegedly rehearse their plan to push Ketan Agarwal off a cliff and assess the consequences before executing the crime.
According to police sources, both accused allegedly disclosed during questioning that they had practised the act at the Lullanagar hill area, which is located near a military zone, before carrying out the alleged murder at Lohagad Fort. Based on these statements, a police team visited the location early in the morning and conducted a detailed inspection while maintaining strict secrecy.
Officials carried out a thorough examination of the site and prepared a panchnama documenting their findings, which is expected to form part of the evidence presented before the court.
Ketan Agarwal, 26, died after allegedly being pushed from a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18. Police have accused Siya, 20, and her alleged lover, Chaudhary, 22, of conspiring to murder him. Both accused remain in police custody until July 3 as the investigation continues.
Investigators are also seeking permission from the court to conduct polygraph (lie detector) tests on both accused. The police believe the tests could help verify their statements and clarify several aspects of the case that remain under investigation. Officials intend to compare the results of the examinations with the evidence collected so far to strengthen the probe.
The investigation has further revealed that the accused allegedly searched online for ways to kill Agarwal before the incident. According to police sources, Siya and Chaudhary had visited Lohagad Fort before the alleged murder to familiarise themselves with the location and rehearse their plan. Investigators also believe the two discussed and prepared responses they would give in the event they were questioned by police after the crime.
Police said Chaudhary allegedly travelled to Lohagad Fort on a scooter instead of a car to avoid creating electronic toll records and to reduce the chances of being captured on CCTV cameras. The scooter used during the incident has since been seized.
Investigators further stated that he wore a hoodie while trekking at the fort to conceal his identity. However, they believe the unusual choice of clothing in hot weather ultimately attracted attention and became an important lead during the investigation.
According to the police, Siya and Chaudhary had allegedly finalised the murder plan several weeks before the incident, reportedly by the end of May. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
(IANS)
