Shocking claim deepens Pune murder probe: ‘Easier to kill than cancel marriage’

A disturbing alleged confession has intensified scrutiny in the death of realtor Ketan Agarwal, with police claiming the accused said it felt “easier” to kill her fiance than to call off her arranged marriage and face her family, according to NDTV.

Pune Rural Police sources told investigators that Siya Goyal allegedly said she did not want to proceed with the wedding scheduled for November but feared the consequences of cancelling it.

Officials further claim she believed ending Agarwal’s life would be less difficult than confronting relatives and dealing with the social fallout of breaking the engagement.

The case, initially treated as a possible accident, took a major turn after police alleged Goyal and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary conspired to kill Agarwal during a visit to Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18.

Police are now examining whether the motive was driven less by financial or family disputes and more by an attempt to delay marriage while continuing another relationship. 

As the probe widened, officials said call records showed extensive communication between the accused, including more than 2,000 calls since January.

Investigators are also attempting to recover deleted data to reconstruct digital exchanges and establish a detailed timeline of events.

Multiple police teams have been deployed as investigators question family members and assess whether anyone else had prior knowledge of the alleged relationship or events leading up to the incident.

Forensic examination, CCTV footage and other digital evidence are being closely reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation into the case.

The accused have been arrested, and the allegations remain under investigation as authorities continue to piece together the sequence of events.

An arranged marriage has turned into a high-profile criminal investigation, with police alleging the motive was not revenge, money or family disputes, but an attempt to delay marriage and conceal an alleged relationship.

Investigators claim Siya Goyal was unwilling to marry Ketan Agarwal and allegedly believed his death would delay the wedding by several years. Police sources also say she told interrogators that avoiding the marriage felt easier than explaining her decision to her family.

Officials further allege that evidence suggests a relationship between Goyal and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary existed prior to her engagement in February.

Police say the duo allegedly travelled to Udaipur in January with friends and spent several days together, weeks before the engagement. Investigators also claim Chaudhary was known to her family through her brother’s cricket circle, with the relationship continuing to develop thereafter.

Call detail records have become central to the probe. According to police, Goyal and Chaudhary exchanged 2,004 calls since January, totalling more than 238 hours of communication.

Investigators believe the pattern may help establish the nature of their relationship and support the alleged conspiracy theory.

Police are examining a meeting between the accused at a cafe in Pune’s Lullanagar area on June 17, a day before the incident, where they reportedly spent nearly an hour together.

The interaction is being analysed to determine whether it involved planning or coordination linked to the case.

The investigation has increasingly focused on digital evidence. Police allege that WhatsApp chats, Instagram messages and call logs were deleted before and after the incident.

Forensic teams are attempting to recover erased data to reconstruct the communication timeline.

CCTV footage from Lohagad Fort has become a key piece of evidence after the case was initially treated as accidental. Investigators claim it shows the victim and Goyal being followed by Chaudhary, identified through technical analysis.

Police also carried out a reconstruction exercise using a human-sized dummy to examine the alleged fall sequence.

During questioning, Goyal’s brother reportedly told police the family was unaware of any distress regarding the marriage and would have supported calling it off if informed.

Goyal’s parents have denied knowledge of any relationship between their daughter and Chaudhary.

The investigation remains ongoing, with police examining multiple angles, including alleged evidence destruction, possible financial links and the roles of all accused.

With inputs from ANI , IANS