Pune (Maharashtra)
The Pune Rural Police on Saturday submitted a 5,053‑page chargesheet in the case of realtor Ketan Agrawal, who died after being pushed from Lohagad Fort on June 18, officials said. The chargesheet names Siya Goyal, alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary and Ritesh Hange as the accused and was filed before the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court at Vadgaon Maval, the police said.
According to a police official, the chargesheet compiles physical, technical, forensic and medical evidence gathered during the investigation, along with messages, photos, mobile phone data, call detail records, witness statements and technical analysis certificates.
“The investigation indicates an organised conspiracy that began in March 2026 and was finalised in May,” a Pune Rural police official said.
Police allege the trio initially planned to inflict serious injuries on Agrawal, and contacted multiple people outside Maharashtra as part of that scheme. The chargesheet states the accused later decided not to involve outsiders and chose to carry out the crime themselves, a move that investigators say simplified logistics but left digital and forensic traces.
- Chargesheet length: 5,053 pages filed in Vadgaon Maval court.
- Accused named: Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary, Ritesh Hange.
- Evidence types: messages, photos, mobile data, call detail records, witness statements, technical analysis certificates, physical, forensic and medical reports.
What the investigation documents
The chargesheet reportedly outlines a sequence of events and online activity investigators say linked the accused to prior cases and to reconnaissance of the Lohagad area. It records searches related to a March 2025 incident at Lohagad Fort, in which a woman died after falling there; police say this may have influenced the selection of the fort as the crime site.
Investigators also found that searches were made to study the Meghalaya honeymoon murder involving Sonam Raghuvanshi — a case that drew national attention after a man was found dead during a honeymoon trip in the north‑east. The Pune chargesheet records that the accused viewed material on that incident while planning, the police official said.
The probe indicates the conspiracy began in March 2026 and was finalised in May. Police say Goyal and Chaudhary travelled to Lonavala in late May to conduct reconnaissance, inspecting points such as Tiger Point and noting the absence of CCTV at certain sites. Subsequent surveys led to the selection of Lohagad Fort.
The chargesheet also refers to actions in early June. Police allege that on June 4 Goyal insisted on visiting Lohagad, and on June 6 she tore Agrawal’s passport and disposed of it in a cafe washroom in Khalapur, preventing the couple from travelling to their planned pre‑wedding shoot in Bali, the document states.
Legal process and local implications
The filing at Vadgaon Maval is the investigative agency’s formal move to present its case to the magistrate, after months of evidence collection. The large volume of material is likely to include technical certificates verifying digital extractions and forensic reports, which prosecutors will rely on during trial.
For residents in Pune and neighbouring talukas such as Maval and Lonavala, the case has drawn attention to visitor safety at hill forts and to how digital footprints factor into criminal investigations. Lohagad, a popular trekking and tourist spot near Pune, has been the focus of increased scrutiny since the incident.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chargesheet pages | 5,053 |
| Court | First Class Judicial Magistrate Court, Vadgaon Maval |
| Named accused | Siya Goyal, Chetan Chaudhary, Ritesh Hange |
| Date of death | June 18 (as recorded in the FIR/chargesheet) |
Pune Rural police will now await magistrate directions on further remand, framing of charges and the course of prosecution. The chargesheet’s publication brings the case into the formal stage of adjudication, and court hearings are expected to address the admissibility and weight of the extensive technical and forensic material compiled by investigators.
Local residents and trekking groups in the Pune region are likely to follow proceedings closely, given Lohagad’s status as a frequent weekend destination and the public questions the case has raised about safety and accountability on popular forts and tourist trails.
