The probe into the alleged murder of 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal at Pune’s Lohagad Fort has accelerated following Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ announcement of a fast-track trial. Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam has been appointed as the special public prosecutor in the case.
As authorities gear up to reconstruct the crime scene and intensify their investigation by questioning key witnesses, emotional pleas for justice have been made by both the victim’s and the prime accused’s families. Ketan’s father dismissed reports suggesting his son’s use of a hair patch as a motive for the killing, emphasizing that the accused’s family was already aware of it.
Describing the incident as not just a criminal act but a societal concern, Fadnavis highlighted the need for reflection on why educated youth from affluent backgrounds are exhibiting a “vengeful and distorted mindset.”
Police allege that Ketan Agarwal was pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18 by his fiancee, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, in a conspiracy to eliminate him due to Siya’s change of heart about their upcoming marriage. Investigators plan to recreate the crime scene using a dummy body to establish the sequence of events, relying on circumstantial evidence in the absence of eyewitnesses.
During a meeting with Ketan’s father, Fadnavis assured the family of the state’s commitment to ensuring justice and agreed to their request for a swift trial. The government subsequently approved the appointment of veteran prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam to lead the prosecution. Ketan’s father also advocated for the death penalty for the accused and mentioned the formation of a Special Investigation Team to handle the case.
