How Siya Goyal Studied Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case Before Ketan Agarwal’s Killing

The investigation into the murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal has revealed that the accused, Siya Goyal, allegedly researched the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case and may have adapted aspects of its execution while avoiding what police describe as the mistakes made in that case. Investigators say digital evidence, including browsing history recovered from her mobile phone, has become a key part of the probe.

Police believe Goyal, along with her alleged boyfriend and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary, conspired to kill Agarwal by pushing him off a cliff at Lohagad Fort. Both accused are in judicial custody, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Police See Similarities With Raja Raghuvanshi Case

According to investigators, there are notable similarities between the Ketan Agarwal and Raja Raghuvanshi murder cases. In both instances, the victims were allegedly pushed off a cliff by their partners.

However, police believe Siya Goyal refined the alleged plan by creating stronger alibis and making more detailed preparations, making it more difficult for investigators to uncover the alleged conspiracy. Officials told NDTV that sustained interrogation eventually led to a breakthrough in the case after investigators worked through multiple layers of alibis.

Browsing History Under Scanner

Police told NDTV that the browsing history recovered from Siya Goyal's mobile phone indicates she had accessed news reports related to the Raja Raghuvanshi murder in Meghalaya during the planning stage. Investigators also found searches related to whether women are beaten in police custody and the legal rights of female prisoners.

A second mobile phone recovered from the Goyal residence has been sent for forensic examination, with investigators expecting it could provide further evidence regarding the alleged planning and execution of the crime.

Police Outline Alleged Planning

According to police, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary allegedly pushed Ketan Agarwal together from the cliff. Investigators believe this formed part of the plan because Siya alone might not have had the physical strength to ensure he fell into the gorge.

Police further stated that the location where Agarwal fell initially raised suspicion, as officers believed it was not among the most dangerous points along the Lohagad Fort trek. Those doubts, combined with the family's insistence that the death was not accidental, prompted a deeper investigation.

"Crime of Desperation," Say Investigators

Explaining the alleged 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 added: "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 officer told NDTV: "In that sense, there was intention to commit crime, and they went through with it, plotting alibis to escape detection, trial and hopefully conviction."

Police also claimed that neither Siya Goyal nor Chetan Chaudhary has shown remorse during questioning. "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," the officer hoped.

Raja Raghuvanshi's Mother Reacts

Uma Raghuvanshi, the mother of Raja Raghuvanshi, said the Ketan Agarwal murder reminded her of her son's case and alleged that the accused 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. Police have not announced the completion of the investigation, and further forensic examination of the seized devices is underway.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2026 10:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).