Father Rejects 'Wig Theory' as Murder Motive, Defends Son in Lohagad Fort Death Case

The father of 25-year-old Ketan Agarwal, who allegedly died after being pushed from a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18, has rejected speculation that his son's use of a hair wig was the motive behind the alleged murder. Vishal Agarwal said his son's minor hair loss, caused by a medical condition, had been disclosed to his fiancée Siya Goyal and her family well before the engagement. "If she had any issue, she could have just said no," he sadding that calling off the wedding would have been a far easier option. Ketan, a director and chief mid, arketing officer in his family's real estate firm, Success Group, was initially believed to have died in an accidental fall.

Police later launched a deeper investigation after reviewing CCTV footage from the fort and concluded that the death was allegedly the result of a planned conspiracy. According to investigators, Siya Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, have been arrested on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. Police claim CCTV footage showed a man, later identified as Chetan, following the couple shortly before the incident. Investigators have also alleged that Siya had persuaded Ketan to visit Lohagad Fort on multiple occasions in the weeks leading up to his death, including an alleged failed attempt to push him from the cliff on June 14, when she reportedly claimed a snake had startled her.

According to the police, the accused allegedly planned to kill Ketan before the couple's scheduled pre-wedding photoshoot in Bali, which was later cancelled after his passport reportedly went missing. Investigators said call records revealed thousands of conversations between Siya and Chetan, including several that lasted for hours. During questioning, police claim Chetan stated that Siya did not want to cancel the engagement and elope because she feared bringing disgrace to her family. These allegations form part of the ongoing investigation and have not yet been tested in court.

Also Read: Investigation Finds Possible Murder Plot Behind Ketan Agarwal’s Initially Accidental Death

Meanwhile, Siya Goyal's family has denied several claims surrounding the case. Her mother alleged that Siya had been reluctant to visit Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident, while her father disputed reports regarding the scale of the planned wedding expenses. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Ketan Agarwal's family on Friday and assured them that the case would be prosecuted in a fast-track court. The state government has appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as the special public prosecutor, while the Chief Minister said the incident also highlighted broader social concerns about rising violent behaviour among educated young people

Also Read: Bengaluru Triple Murder Exposes Dangers of Family Conflict Escalation