The parents of Siya Goyal, the prime accused in the murder of her fiancé Ketan Agarwal in Pune, have spoken publicly for the first time, claiming they had no knowledge of her alleged relationship with co-accused Chetan Chaudhary. They said that before finalising the marriage, Siya repeatedly assured them that she liked Ketan, wanted to marry him, and was not involved with anyone else.
Speaking to India Today TV, Siya’s mother, Pooja Goyal, said that Siya and Chetan knew each other after meeting during a cricket tournament. However, she maintained that the family believed they were only friends. According to her, the family repeatedly sought Siya’s consent before proceeding with the marriage proposal.
“Before we fixed Siya’s marriage, we asked her repeatedly, at least ten times. We told her, ‘Siya, we are planning your marriage. Do you like Ketan? Do you want to go ahead with this marriage?’ Every time she told us, ‘Yes, I like Ketan,'” Pooja Goyal said.
She further said that Siya never indicated she was unwilling to marry Ketan or that she was in a relationship with anyone else. According to her, Siya had told the family, “Yes, Mummy. I like everything, and I want to marry him. I don’t have anything with anyone else.”
Ketan Agarwal, 26, died after falling into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune in an incident that was initially treated as an accident. However, a subsequent police investigation alleged that Siya and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, conspired to murder him by pushing him off the cliff during a trek. Both have been arrested.
Siya’s father, Praveen Goyal, also denied having any knowledge of his daughter’s alleged relationship with Chetan. He said he had never met or spoken to Chetan before and had no information about any relationship between the two.
“I had never even seen Chetan Chaudhary before. I had never spoken to him. We had absolutely no information about any relationship between Siya and him,” he said.
How the Marriage Was Fixed
Praveen Goyal said the marriage proposal first came during a family wedding in Goa, when relatives from Ketan’s family expressed interest in Siya. Since she was only 19 years old at the time, the family initially declined, saying they were not in a hurry to get her married.
The proposal resurfaced during another family wedding in Karjat, where relatives encouraged the Goyal family to consider the match, describing the Agarwal family as respectable. After discussing the proposal with his wife, Praveen Goyal agreed to move forward. Both families later consented to the alliance, and the engagement ceremony took place in February.
‘Ketan Was Like My Own Son’
Recalling his bond with Ketan, Praveen Goyal said the businessman frequently visited their home and shared a close relationship with the family.
“He used to address me as ‘Papa ji’. I had started treating him like my own son,” he said.
Responding to reports that Ketan had expressed concerns to his father about Siya’s phone frequently being busy, Praveen Goyal said the Agarwal family never shared those concerns with them.
“If Ketan had any doubts, his family should have spoken to us. Nobody ever called us to say that Siya’s phone was frequently busy or that she might be talking to someone else,” he said.
The parents said they never noticed any problems between the couple. Pooja Goyal claimed that Siya and Ketan appeared happy throughout their engagement and regularly spoke over video calls. Ketan also visited their home for dinner, and preparations for the couple’s future continued without interruption.
She added that the family had already begun making arrangements for the couple’s planned honeymoon trip to Bali after marriage and had spent nearly ₹50,000 on shopping for Siya.
“If Siya had ever told us that she did not want this marriage, why would we have continued with all these preparations?” she asked.
‘Fort Trekking Was Ketan’s Idea’
The parents also claimed that the trek to Lohagad Fort, where the alleged murder took place, was planned by Ketan.
According to Pooja Goyal, Siya had initially been reluctant because the couple had plans to travel to Mahabaleshwar the following day. However, Ketan insisted that she join the trek.
“Siya told me, ‘Mummy, Ketan is asking me to come for trekking, but I don’t want to go. Please ask him not to insist.’ But Ketan’s mother told her, ‘If Ketan is asking you to come, then go. He may have planned a birthday surprise for you,'” Pooja Goyal said.
She also claimed that chats on Siya’s phone would support this version.
Father Says Arrest Came as a Shock
Praveen Goyal said he was devastated when he learned that his daughter had been arrested in connection with Ketan’s murder.
“I still find it impossible to believe my daughter could do something like this. She never lied to me and always followed the right path,” he said, adding that the shock was so severe that he had to be admitted to the intensive care unit.
At the same time, he said that if the allegations against Siya are ultimately proven in court, she should receive the strictest punishment.
“If my daughter is found guilty, the court should not delay justice. She should be given the same punishment. As a father, I cannot say anything more than that,” he said.
Police have alleged that Siya Goyal and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, conspired to kill Ketan Agarwal by pushing him into a gorge at Pune’s Lohagad Fort on June 18. The case remains under investigation, and both accused are currently in judicial custody.
Also Read: From First Meeting To Engagement In 7 Days: The Ketan-Siya Story Under Probe https://www.vibesofindia.com/families-met-in-february-engaged-within-a-week-inside-ketan-siya-wedding-plan/
