Following intense public scrutiny and a meeting with the victim’s family, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Law and Judiciary Department to establish a fast-track court for the Lohagad fort murder trial. Fadnavis appointed senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor for the case, which involves the June 18 killing of 26-year-old Pune real-estate businessman Ketan Agarwal. Agarwal was pushed 400 feet into a gorge.
Police initially treated the death as an accidental fall before arresting Agarwal’s 20-year-old fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her 22-year-old partner, Chetan Chaudhary. On Thursday, Siya’s mother, Pooja Goyal, publicly demanded the maximum sentence for her daughter, suggesting execution or that she be thrown from the same fort. Pooja stated she possesses chat records indicating Siya did not want to visit the location on the day of the incident but Agarwal insisted. She also rejected recent claims by the Agarwal family regarding Siya smoking and drinking, noting those allegations were never raised prior to the death.
Investigators revealed Siya and Chaudhary exchanged over 4,400 phone calls while secretly planning the murder to avoid a scheduled arranged marriage. The couple was set for a November destination wedding in Udaipur with a budget of ₹14 crore, according to the Hindustan Times. Authorities say Siya feared bringing dishonor to her family by eloping.
The June 18 incident followed multiple alleged attempts to disrupt the relationship, including a sabotaged pre-wedding photoshoot in Bali where Siya disposed of Agarwal’s passport, The Indian Express reported. Police also documented a prior attempt to push Agarwal off a cliff on June 14 under the pretext of spotting a snake. During the final incident at Lohagad fort, Chaudhary allegedly shadowed the couple while wearing a hoodie in 33°C heat. Both suspects remain in police custody and are blaming each other for delivering the fatal push.