In a significant development in the murder case of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, a court in Pune has extended the judicial custody of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary by 14 days, now set to last until June 29. The extension was granted during a hearing conducted via video conferencing, where both accused were presented from their place of detention.
Presiding over the case, Judicial Magistrate A.M. Vibhute from Wadgaon Mawal near Pune has also mandated the preservation and submission of CCTV footage from the Pune Rural Superintendent of Police’s office. This footage is crucial as it captures the events of June 23, the day the arrests were made. This directive was issued partially in response to an application by Chaudhary, who contested the legality of his arrest.
Chaudhary’s application alleged discrepancies in the recorded time of his arrest. Official records indicate an arrest time of 4:30 PM on June 23, whereas Chaudhary claimed to have been held at the Pune Rural SP office as early as 12:15 AM the same day. He argued that his detention was illegal since it occurred nearly 12 hours prior to the formal registration of the FIR at noon on June 23. The court, however, dismissed this argument but instructed the preservation of the CCTV evidence, which is to be presented within 15 days.
Ketan Agarwal, associated with Success Group, met a tragic end while trekking at Lohagad Fort near Lonavala in Maharashtra, accompanied by his fiancée, Siya Goyal. Initially, the incident was reported as an accidental death to the Lonavala Rural Police Station. However, subsequent investigations prompted by Agarwal’s family led to the examination of call logs, mobile location data, and crucial CCTV footage from the fort.
The footage revealed a suspicious individual, later identified as Goyal’s acquaintance Chaudhary, wearing a hoodie and mask despite the summer heat, trailing the couple discreetly during their trek. This evidence became pivotal in the investigation.
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Following a detailed probe, both Goyal and Chaudhary were apprehended on June 23, with charges under Section 103 (murder) and Section 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Initially, they were remanded to police custody for seven days by the Wadgaon Mawal court, with subsequent extensions leading to the current judicial custody set to continue until July 29.
