New Delhi: Siya Goyal, a Pune woman arrested with her boyfriend for allegedly killing her fiance, had told her family that she did not want to marry the man they engaged her to, and made at least two more attempts to eliminate him before succeeding on 18 June, according to police.
Police said that based on her interrogation, Siya and her fiance Ketan Agarwal had gone on a trek on the Lohagarh Fort on 31 May when she decided to eliminate him in connivance with her boyfriend, Chetan Chaudhary.
“She decided on the plan with her boyfriend (on 31 May). She knew that if Agarwal was pushed off the fort, it could be portrayed as an accident,” the officer probing the incident said on Wednesday.
During sustained interrogation, Siya revealed the plan. “She convinced Agarwal to take her to the fort on 4 June, but Agarwal’s family told him not to go. She continued to wait. Then, on 14 June, she convinced Agarwal to take her three. He did. However, when he almost fell from the fort, to avoid suspicion, she screamed and (said she) saw a snake and hugged him. Agarwal did not realise what had happened,” the officer said.
Between 4 and 14 June, she made multiple attempts to to lure him to the fort, according to what she told the police.
Siya and Chetan discussed how the initial attempt did not go as planned. Chetan then told Siya to bring Ketan to the fort again on 18 June. This time, it went as per their plan: Ketan was allegedly pushed off the cliff into a 400-foot gorge, and he died.
Siya, her fiance Ketan and boyfriend Chetan come from business families.
After the incident, Siya called the police, telling them that her fiance slipped while taking photographs during an outing amid strong winds. Police said that at the time of the incident, the case was treated as an accidental death based on what Siya said.
But police said they found multiple inconsistencies in the accused’s statement and started investigating deeper, when the alleged conspiracy emerged. Siya and Chetan were arrested Tuesday.
During sustained interrogation a day after her arrest, Siya also told police she had informed her family she did not want to marry Ketan, but they did not listen to her.
Hoodie in summer heat
Ketan’s father, meanwhile, told police his son was a trekker and he found it hard to believe he could slip to death just like that. Police began to examine CCTV footage from the fort.
The investigating officer said they spotted a man roaming around the fort. He was wearing a hoodie and shorts, and had his face covered.
It turned out to be a crucial element of investigation for police. “When we checked the 18 June temperature, it was 33 degrees Celsius that morning. During scrutiny of CCTV footage from the spot, we noticed this man, wearing a hoodie with his head covered and also wearing headphones. Why would anybody wear a hoodie (in such heat)” the officer said.
During the investigation, while statements of families and friends were analysed, police allegedly found that Siya was in a relationship with Chetan.
After the incident on 18 June, Siya maintained a low-profile, but posted stories on Instagram, ‘ruing’ how Ketan “left” her a day before her birthday. “She said the two had planned to go to Mahabaleshwar. He got her gifts. She ensured that (it looked like) an accidental death,” added the officer.
According to police, Siya also told them during interrogation that she did not want to marry Ketan, and thought he was an obstacle in her relationship with Chetan. That is why the two conspired to kill Ketan.
Meanwhile, Ketan’s family told ThePrint that Goyals were aware of Siya’s relationship with Chetan, “However, they pushed for this marriage,” Ketan’s father said.
“The family, including Siya’s brother, mother, and her aunt did know about this relationship. However, they knew this (Agrawals) was a much better family for Siya to marry into. Had they allowed her to marry as per her wish, my son would have been alive….” Vishal Agarwal, Ketan’s father told ThePrint.
He said the family had known the Goyals for more than 35 years, and had never seen any behavior that was suspicious.
“Her family would interfere a lot in their relationship. I don’t know why she had to kill my son? She could have just said ‘no’? Or spoken to us…” Vishal said, adding that police should arrest everybody who is part of this murder conspiracy.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: From love on a bus to fight over a woman — story of live-in partners that ended in Nikki’s murder