Source NDTV
PUNE — The investigation into the chilling murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal has widened with the arrest of a 22-year-old man, marking the third apprehension in the case.
The suspect, identified as Ritesh Hange, was arrested by the Pune Rural Police on Saturday for his alleged role in a conspiracy spearheaded by Agarwal’s fiancée, Siya Goyal (20), and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary (22). Goyal and Chaudhary were previously arrested for allegedly pushing Agarwal off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in the Pune district on June 18, initially disguising the murder as a trekking accident.
According to investigators, Agarwal and Goyal were engaged in February, but Goyal was secretly in a relationship with Chaudhary. Police allege the couple viewed Agarwal as an obstacle to their relationship and hatched a plot to eliminate him.
Hange, a former classmate and close friend of Chaudhary, has been remanded to police custody until September 12. Investigators revealed that Hange was highly involved in the planning stages of the crime.
Key Details of the Conspiracy:
Prior Knowledge: Police state that Hange was fully aware of an initial plan hatched by Goyal and Chaudhary to assault Agarwal, break his limbs, and eventually murder him. That plan was later abandoned for being too risky, leading them to the cliffside plot.
Scouting Locations: The primary accused explored several locations, including Tiger Point and Visapur Fort, exchanging photographs with Hange before finalizing Lohagad Fort for the execution.
Post-Murder Contact: Hange declined requests to accompany the couple to the fort on the day of the murder. However, immediately after Agarwal was pushed to his death, Chaudhary reportedly contacted Hange to confirm that the deed was done.
Hange was traced using digital evidence recovered from Chaudhary’s phone. The Pune Rural Police are continuing to question him to determine the full extent of his logistical support and whether he played any direct role in facilitating the fatal June 18 trip.
