The investigation into Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal’s murder has revealed striking similarities with the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. According to police, accused Siya Goyal allegedly researched the earlier case and planned the crime more carefully to avoid the mistakes investigators believe were made in the Meghalaya murder.
Officials told NDTV that evidence collected during the probe suggests Siya Goyal and her alleged boyfriend and accomplice, Chetan Chaudhary, prepared the murder in advance and created stronger alibis, making the investigation more challenging.
Police say planning was more detailed
As per the NDTV report, investigators believe the accused studied media coverage related to the Raja Raghuvanshi murder before carrying out the alleged crime. According to police, browsing history recovered from a mobile phone seized from Siya Goyal indicates she had read reports about the Meghalaya case.
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Police also found searches related to whether women are beaten in police custody and the legal rights of female prisoners. Another mobile phone recovered from the Goyal residence has been sent for forensic examination and is expected to provide more information about the alleged planning.
‘It was a crime of desperation,’ say investigators
Describing the motive, an officer associated with the investigation told NDTV, “It was a crime of desperation. Personal relations and her thinking process led to her believe this was the way to go about it. The transactional element between families also played a role in her decision.”
The officer further said, “Multiple factors contributed to Siya’s decision to kill Chetan and family and societal beliefs was definitely one of them. But it went beyond that and the investigation suggests there was not one factor but a combination of several factors that triggered her decision to eliminate Ketan Agrawal.”
Another police officer told the publication, “In that sense, there was intention to commit crime, and they went through with it, plotting alibis to escape detection, trial and hopefully conviction.”
Investigation uncovered key evidence
Police said the breakthrough came after sustained questioning of the accused. Investigators also became suspicious because the location at Lohagad Fort, from where Ketan Agarwal allegedly fell, was not considered among the most dangerous points on the trek.
According to police, both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary allegedly pushed Ketan together, believing that a joint effort would ensure he fell into the gorge.
Officials also claimed that neither accused has shown remorse so far. One officer said, “Time in jail usually breaks the most hardened criminals and perhaps with the duo now being in judicial custody, realisation with dawn on them as they spend time in jail.”
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Meanwhile, Raja Raghuvanshi’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, told NDTV that the case reminded her of her son’s murder and alleged that the accused in both cases had shown no remorse. She also expressed concern that Sonam Raghuvanshi being out on bail could embolden accused persons in similar cases while the Raja Raghuvanshi murder trial continues in Shillong.
FAQs:
Why are police linking the Ketan Agarwal murder case to the Raja Raghuvanshi murder?
Police claim Siya Goyal allegedly researched the Raja Raghuvanshi case and planned Ketan Agarwal’s murder with stronger alibis.
What did police find in Siya Goyal’s browsing history?
Investigators say her browsing history included reports on the Raja Raghuvanshi murder, along with searches about women’s rights in police custody.
