Ketan murder case: Siya and Chetan used code words in chats, say Pune cops

Pune fort murder case: Police say accused Siya Goyal and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary used code words in their chats in the murder of businessman Ketan Agarwal. Investigators have seized Siya's second phone as they piece together the events leading to Ketan's murder.

In Short

• Cops seize Siya's second phone, find code words in chats between her, Chetan
• Discovery comes as Pune court sends Siya, Chetan to 14-day judicial custody
• Siya, Chetan accused of killing Ketan at Lohagad Fort on June 18

Investigators probing the murder of 25-year-old Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal have found that accused Siya Goyal and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary allegedly used "code words" in their conversations. As part of the probe, police on Friday seized a second mobile phone belonging to Siya.

Siya (20) and Chetan (22) are accused of conspiring and killing Ketan, Siya's fiance, by pushing him to death from a cliff at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. While Siya initially framed the incident as accidental death, she and Chetan later confirmed their role in the murder. Investigators are now trying to decipher the coded conversations exchanged between the two accused before and after the crime.

Investigating Officer Manoj Pawar said a further probe revealed that Siya and Chetan communicated using code words, the meaning and purpose of which are yet to be ascertained.

He said police earlier informed a Pune court that one mobile phone each had initially been seized from Siya and Chetan following their arrest. However, investigators recovered a second mobile phone belonging to Siya, which they believe could help unravel the coded conversations.

Public Prosecutor Virkud argued that mobile phone data had been recovered only recently and investigators were yet to question the accused based on the material extracted from the devices. The prosecution maintained that only Siya and Chetan could explain the true meaning of the code words allegedly used in their conversations and sought additional time for face-to-face questioning.

However, Chetan's lawyer, Uttarkar, opposed the plea, arguing that the police were seeking an extension of custody on grounds similar to those cited earlier and that no substantially new circumstances had emerged to justify continued police remand.

The court, however, declined the prosecution's request for a further extension of police custody and remanded both Siya and Chetan to judicial custody for 14 days till July 16.

Police are now expected to analyse the newly seized mobile phone and other digital evidence as part of the ongoing investigation as investigators piece together the events leading to Ketan's killing.

- Ends