'Heart found its home’: Pune woman’s romantic posts before fiance’s killing

Dubai: For months, Siya Goyal’s Instagram account told the story of a young woman deeply in love.

There were engagement photographs, flowers, hugs, romantic captions and countdowns to a dream wedding. One post celebrated a month of togetherness with the words: “Cheers to one month since my heart found its home.”

Another showed her fiance, Ketan Vishal Agarwal, handing her a flower as she joked that he had taken her likes and dislikes “very seriously”.

Friends and family saw a picture-perfect romance heading towards a lavish November wedding.

But investigators now allege that behind the smiling photographs and affectionate posts was a secret relationship, a murder conspiracy and a plan that ended with Ketan’s death at Lohagad Fort near Pune.

Police say Siya and her alleged lover, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, conspired to kill Ketan, a member of a prominent business family, because he had become an obstacle to their relationship. What was initially reported as an accidental fall while taking photographs near the edge of a cliff is now being treated as a murder case.

According to investigators, the alleged plot included multiple attempts, a cancelled Bali trip after Ketan’s passport mysteriously disappeared, and even a backup plan in case earlier efforts failed, Indian media reports said.

The case has stunned relatives and social media followers alike, transforming what appeared to be a modern love story into one of the most shocking murder investigations in recent memory.

According to police, the woman at the centre of the investigation had been leading a double life.

While publicly preparing for her marriage to Ketan, investigators say Siya was also involved in a relationship with Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, a businessman she met at a business event last year.

Police allege the relationship deepened over the months even as wedding preparations gathered pace. Call records examined by investigators reportedly show that the pair exchanged more than 2,000 calls, speaking for nearly 238 hours over seven months.

“The investigation showed that Siya was unwilling to marry Ketan and considered him an obstacle to her relationship with Chetan,” police told Indian media.

The investigation later turned up another curious incident.

Just days before the killing, Ketan and Siya were due to travel to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot. The trip was abruptly cancelled after Ketan discovered that his passport was missing at Mumbai airport.

Ketan’s father has alleged that only four people were present in the car carrying the travel documents and that Siya briefly returned alone to the vehicle after claiming she had forgotten her mobile phone.

When the group reached the airport, everyone had their passports except Ketan.

The allegation remains under investigation, but police are examining whether the missing passport was linked to the broader conspiracy.

Investigators believe the June 18 killing may not have been the first attempt on Ketan’s life.

According to police, Siya allegedly tried to push him from a cliff edge during an earlier visit to Lohagad Fort on June 14. Ketan reportedly managed to save himself by grabbing a bush growing along the slope.

Police claim the incident was disguised as an accident. To divert attention, Siya allegedly raised an alarm about spotting a snake before comforting and embracing Ketan.

Investigators say the alleged plotters later devised additional plans in case earlier attempts failed.

On June 18, just a day before Siya’s birthday, the couple returned to Lohagad Fort.

Police allege that Siya persuaded Ketan to join her on the trek under the guise of a casual outing and birthday celebration.

Investigators say Chetan followed the couple to the fort while attempting to conceal his identity. CCTV footage allegedly shows him trailing them at a distance while wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

What happened next transformed a family celebration into a criminal investigation.

Police allege that Siya and Chetan pushed Ketan into a gorge, killing him. The incident was initially reported as an accidental fall caused by strong winds while taking photographs.

An accidental death report was registered after Siya told investigators that Ketan had slipped.

But officers later said inconsistencies in witness accounts, CCTV footage, call records and technical evidence prompted a deeper probe that ultimately led to the murder case.

The tragedy has left two families devastated.

According to relatives, preparations were already under way for a lavish wedding in November. A palace in Jaipur had reportedly been booked at a cost of Rs17 crore, and private aircraft were being arranged to fly guests to the celebrations.

“The families were happy. This incident has come as a huge shock to both families,” a relative said.

Today, the photographs that once documented a seemingly perfect romance have become part of a police investigation.

Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been arrested on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy and remanded to police custody. Investigators are continuing to piece together what they allege was a carefully planned plot hidden behind months of public displays of love.