As the investigation into the murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal gets underway, the police recorded the statement of the accused's brother, Sahil Goyal, on Friday. He was questioned for nearly 10 hours.
According to sources, several important details emerged during Sahil's interrogation. Police had asked about his sister's relationship with co-accused Chetan Chaudhary and cross-checked on several details.
He told the police that if Siya had expressed any discomfort, the wedding would have been called off. Siya had previously stated that she was under family pressure to get married.
"If Siya had said she didn't like Ketan, we would have stopped the wedding," Sahil told the cops.
An official told PTI that Sahil knew Chetan and, therefore, was asked several questions to cross-check his details.
According to the police, Ketan Agarwal was pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18 by his fiancée, Siya Goyal (20), and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary (22). Investigators believe the duo conspired to murder Agarwal because Siya wanted to call off their upcoming wedding in November.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Tonpe said that the roles of both accused have been established.
So far, seven people have been questioned, including an employee whose mobile phone was allegedly used by Chaudhary to communicate with Siya on the day of the incident.
Ketan's father refutes the hair wig motive
Meanwhile, Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, has rejected claims that his son's use of a hair wig could have been the motive for the killing.
He had said that due to medical reasons, Ketan had a small patch of hair loss, but this was clearly communicated well before the marriage was finalised. "If she had any issues, she could have just said so," said Vishal.
CM Devendra Fadnavis offers support to victim's family
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met the victim's father in Pune and assured full support. Calling the incident shocking, Fadnavis said that it reflects a social issue.
"It is an extremely shocking and incomprehensible incident. As a society, we need to reflect on why educated young men and women from good families develop such criminal intent and a desire for revenge. This is not merely a criminal issue; it also has a social angle," he said.
