Chargesheet: Accused used fake Insta ID to take Ketan to Pune’s Lohagad Fort

Ketan (left) died after he was allegedly pushed from the Lohagad Fort by fiance Siya and her lover Chetan. (Image enhanced using AI)

A chargesheet submitted in court by Pune rural police in the Ketan Agarwal murder case on Saturday revealed how the accused, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary, used a fake Instagram ID called “Mahi” to chat with the victim and convinced him to be at Lohagad Fort on June 18, where he was allegedly pushed off a cliff.

Resident of Lodha Belmondo township in Gahunje, the 25-year-old Ketan was son of a businessman Vishal Agarwal. Police claim that Siya (20) did not want to marry Ketan, so she allegedly conspired with Chetan (22) and Ritesh Hange (22) of Beed district to kill him. Siya and Chetan were arrested on June 23, and Hange on September 5.

Police had seized cellphones and e-devices of the accused to retrieve the “deleted chats” between them before and after committing Ketan’s murder at Lohagad Fort, Pune. Forensic probe revealed Siya and Chetan used an Instagram ID, with the fake name “Mahi”, and a picture of a girl, to chat with Ketan. However, “Mahi” had been introduced to Ketan as Siya’s friend. Police said Siya had previously taken Ketan to Lohagad fort twice on May 31 and June 14, when she allegedly made an unsuccessful attempt to kill him.

Under the impression that Ketan may not agree to come to Lohagad Fort again, Siya and Chetan allegedly initiated chats with him through the fake ID “Mahi”. Ketan responded to the chats, in the belief that “Mahi” was a good friend of Siya. Police said while chatting as “Mahi”, the accused allegedly convinced Ketan to go to Lohagad Fort on June 18 with Siya to give her a “surprise” a day before her birthday on June 19. Accordingly, Ketan went to Lohagad Fort with Siya, and was allegedly killed.

Police said the accused had deleted the Instagram ID after the murder, but a technical probe retrieved the chats and is now being considered crucial evidence against the accused. Police have subsequently invoked sections of the IT Act, along with provisions of BNS, for murder and criminal conspiracy, against the accused.

Sandip Singh Gill, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police, confirmed that a 5,053-page chargesheet was submitted in the Wadgaon Maval court against the accused in the Ketan Agarwal murder case.

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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