What initially appeared to be a fatal fall from Pune’s Lohagad Fort has turned into an alleged murder conspiracy pieced together through witness statements, phone records, CCTV footage, deleted chats and a trail of online activity.
According to the Pune Rural Police chargesheet, realtor Ketan Agarwal was allegedly targeted more than once before his death on June 18, 2026. Investigators say the alleged plan also left behind a digital footprint spanning Google searches, YouTube videos, Instagram activity and even ChatGPT conversations.
The 5,053-page chargesheet names Ketan’s fiancée Siya Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary and Ritesh Hange as accused. Police have relied on digital, technical and documentary evidence alongside witness statements to build their case. Here is how investigators say the alleged plot unfolded.
How The Alleged Attempts On Ketan Agarwal Began
Police have described June 18 as the third attempt on Ketan’s life. Earlier investigations had already pointed to visits to Lohagad Fort before the fatal incident. India Today reported that investigators believe Ketan was taken towards Lohagad on May 31 and again on June 14, with the latter visit allegedly ending in an unsuccessful attempt to push him from a cliff.
According to the police version cited in the chargesheet, Ketan survived the June 14 incident after holding on to a bush. He was allegedly told that there was a snake nearby, with the explanation used to account for what had happened. The June 18 visit would prove fatal.
The Fake ‘Mahi’ Instagram Account
After the earlier attempts, investigators allege that the accused turned to a different way of getting Ketan back to Lohagad. According to the chargesheet, a fake Instagram account using the name “Mahi” and a woman’s photograph was used to communicate with Ketan.
Police allege that Ketan believed “Mahi” was a friend of Siya. The account was allegedly used to persuade him to visit Lohagad Fort on June 18, reportedly as part of a plan involving a surprise for Siya ahead of her birthday. The account was deleted after the murder, but investigators say forensic examination helped recover the chats.
That deleted account subsequently became one of the digital pieces investigators used to reconstruct the alleged conspiracy.
Google Searches Became Part Of The Investigation
The chargesheet also details searches that police say were made while the alleged plan was being developed. Investigators reportedly found Google searches concerning deaths, trekking incidents, the Lohagad Fort case involving a woman who died there in 2025, methods of killing and ways of concealing evidence. Among the searches cited in reports on the chargesheet were phrases including “Easy way to kill someone”, references to mushroom poisoning and searches connected to the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case involving Raja Raghuvanshi.
Police have alleged that the accused studied previous cases while working out how Ketan’s death could be made to appear accidental. The significance of the searches, however, remains part of the prosecution’s case and will ultimately have to be tested in court.
YouTube And Lohagad Were Also Part Of The Digital Trail
The alleged planning did not remain limited to Google. Investigators have also cited YouTube activity. Earlier in the probe, police alleged that Siya searched for videos of Lohagad Fort and shared information about the terrain with Chetan.
According to the investigation reported by India Today, the two allegedly identified a secluded location at the fort from which Ketan could be pushed. Police also alleged that the pair met at a Pune cafe on June 17, one day before Ketan’s death, to finalise aspects of the plan. The chargesheet has therefore brought together physical movement, digital searches and communication records to reconstruct what investigators believe happened before the murder.
Where Does ChatGPT Fit Into The Ketan Agarwal Case?
One of the most unusual elements in the chargesheet is the alleged use of ChatGPT. According to Pune Police, Siya had used ChatGPT before Ketan’s death to seek help drafting an apology to his mother following an argument. Investigators also found online activity relating to police investigations, media coverage and whether deleted chats could be recovered.
The chargesheet further records searches concerning how to express grief after Ketan’s death. Police have cited this activity while examining the accused’s conduct both before and after the incident. The presence of ChatGPT in the investigation does not by itself establish criminal intent. It is the broader pattern of digital evidence, according to police, that forms part of the prosecution’s case.
Deleted Chats Did Not Stay Deleted
The alleged attempt to erase digital evidence also became another part of the investigation. Police examined phones and other electronic devices belonging to the accused. According to the chargesheet reporting, forensic investigators examined around 1,801 chats and recovered 11 allegedly deleted WhatsApp conversations.
The investigation also covered phone records, photographs and activity on platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. That forensic recovery was significant because investigators were able to compare digital conversations with other evidence, including witness accounts and CCTV footage.
Thousands Of Calls And A Carefully Reconstructed Timeline
The digital trail went beyond social media. Investigators had earlier revealed that Siya and Chetan exchanged 2,004 phone calls between January and June, with the conversations collectively running into nearly 238 hours.
Police also examined CCTV footage and the movements of the accused around Lohagad on the day of Ketan’s death. The investigation alleged that Chetan had left his phone at his workplace and switched off internet services for several hours on June 18. Police also relied on CCTV footage showing a man in a hoodie following Ketan and Siya near the fort.
Taken together, investigators say these details helped challenge the initial theory that Ketan had simply fallen from the fort.
From An Apparent Accident To An Alleged Murder Plot
Ketan died on June 18 after being pushed into a gorge at Lohagad Fort, according to the police case. His death was initially treated as an accidental fall. The subsequent investigation, however, brought together several apparently separate strands: earlier visits to Lohagad, alleged attempts to kill him, the fake “Mahi” Instagram account, phone calls, CCTV footage, online searches, deleted conversations and digital activity.
The 5,053-page chargesheet now places those pieces into one alleged conspiracy involving Siya, Chetan and Ritesh. Police have also cited witness statements and technical evidence in support of the case. The central question will now move from the investigation to the courtroom: whether the digital trail and other evidence are sufficient to establish the prosecution’s allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
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Sunny Singh is a Journalist and Content Writer with a strong affinity for Bollywood and Hollywood insiders, music and more. Somewhat of a writer and poet himself, he thrives on giving life to words and deliver all you need to know about the entertainment sector.
