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Ketan Agarwal murder chargesheet details an alleged conspiracy involving a fake Instagram account, Lohagad recce, failed attempts and murder planning.
Ketan Agarwal Murder Plot: How Fake Instagram Account Allegedly Lured Him To Lohagad (Photos: Social Media)
The alleged murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal was not a sudden act, but the result of a conspiracy that police say involved location recce, attempts to make his death appear accidental, a fake Instagram account and research into ways of evading police detection.
Details of the alleged planning have emerged in the 5,053-page chargesheet filed by the Pune Rural Police against Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary and Ritesh Hange.
According to the chargesheet, the trio initially planned to cause Agarwal serious injuries and even contacted several people from outside Maharashtra for the purpose.
However, police said they later abandoned the idea of involving an outsider, fearing that the person could be traced and create complications.
One person contacted during the alleged conspiracy has since become a prosecution witness, according to police.
From Injuring Ketan Agarwal To Planning The Murder
Police allege that after abandoning the initial plan, the accused decided to kill Agarwal themselves. The chargesheet says they studied murder-related films, searched online and listened to podcasts discussing ways of avoiding police detection. They also studied the Meghalaya murder case involving Sonam Raghuvanshi.
At A Glance
Police allege a fake Instagram profile named “Mahi” was used to lure Ketan Agarwal to Lohagad.
The chargesheet alleges an earlier failed push at Lohagad and an attempt to prevent his Bali trip by tearing his passport.
Police allege Goyal and Chaudhary pushed Agarwal from behind and the leg before Chaudhary allegedly kicked him into the gorge.
The investigation allegedly found that the planning began in March 2026 and the murder plan was finalised in May.
Goyal and Chaudhary allegedly conducted a recce of locations around Lonavala towards the end of May, including Tiger Point.
Police said they looked at several hill locations and noticed that some places did not have CCTV cameras.
Lohagad Fort was eventually selected, with police alleging that the accused believed a death there could be made to look like an accidental fall.
The chargesheet also refers to an earlier incident in March 2025 in which a woman died after falling from Lohagad.
Police allege the accused believed Agarwal’s death could similarly be perceived as an accidental fall while taking a selfie.
Failed Attempts Before The Final Plan
According to the police investigation, Goyal allegedly insisted on visiting Lohagad on June 4, shortly before the couple was scheduled to travel to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot.
The alleged plan was disrupted on June 6 when Goyal allegedly tore Agarwal’s passport and discarded it in a washroom at a cafe in Khalapur while they were travelling towards the airport. The trip to Bali consequently did not take place, police said.
On June 14, Goyal and Agarwal allegedly visited Lohagad again. According to the chargesheet, Goyal attempted to push Agarwal from the fort, but the attempt failed.
She allegedly then created a false alarm by claiming there was a snake nearby, but that attempt also did not succeed.
The accused allegedly then moved to another method of getting Agarwal back to Lohagad.
Fake Account Used To Lure Ketan
Police allege that a fake Instagram account in the name of ‘Mahi’ was created as part of the plan. A photograph of a woman known to the accused was allegedly used for the account.
On June 18, a message was allegedly sent to Agarwal through the account.
According to the police, the sender posed as Goyal’s friend and asked Agarwal to bring Goyal to Lohagad, where a surprise birthday celebration could be organised for her.
PTI reported, citing the police official, that Hange allegedly planned the exercise, while the account was deleted after the murder.
The chargesheet alleges that Chaudhary reached Lohagad through an exit route and later went to a temple on the fort.
A senior police official said Goyal allegedly signalled him to move towards the designated location.
How Ketan Agarwal’s Murder Was Executed
According to the chargesheet, Agarwal was unaware of what was about to happen when the accused allegedly carried out the final plan.
“When Agarwal was not alert, Goyal allegedly pushed him from behind near the shoulder, while Chaudhary pushed his leg,” the police official said, according to PTI.
The chargesheet further alleges that Chaudhary kicked Agarwal, causing him to fall into the gorge and die.
Police have alleged that Hange was involved in planning the conspiracy, including the use of the fake account.
Digital And Forensic Evidence In The Case
The investigation relied on multiple categories of evidence, according to the police. The chargesheet includes WhatsApp chats, call detail records, mobile-phone data, photographs, forensic evidence, medical reports and statements of witnesses and technical experts.
Police said the chargesheet also contains statements of five eyewitnesses.
The collected evidence and other documents were submitted before the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court in Vadgaon Maval.
The three accused – Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary and Ritesh Hange – are in judicial custody and are currently lodged in Yerwada Central Jail in Pune.
Quick Answers
Ask News18According to the police chargesheet, the accused planned the murder by conducting a location recce at Lohagad Fort in May 2026, studying murder-related films, and listening to podcasts to evade detection. They initially considered hiring an outsider before deciding to execute the plan themselves, which involved using a fake Instagram account to lure Agarwal to the fort.
Ask News18About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
September 20, 2026, 11:22 IST
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