Wedding is never going to happen: Alleged snapchat chat surfaces in Ketan Agarwal murder probe

Investigators are examining alleged coded chats and a purported Snapchat conversation between the accused in Ketan Agarwal's murder case. A court remanded both accused to 14 days' judicial custody, declined further police custody, and refused narco tests without consent

New Delhi: Fresh findings in the investigation into the alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal have revealed that the two accused, Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, used coded language and nicknames to communicate, in an attempt to evade surveillance after the crime, police sources said. Police also claim that in an alleged Snapchat conversation between Siya and one of her friends that has surfaced during the probe, she chillingly stated that the “wedding is never going to happen.”

Investigators into the sensational case are examining an alleged Snapchat conversation between Siya and one of her friends that has surfaced during the probe. According to sources, Siya allegedly asked her friend to share a copy of her Aadhaar card so that a flight ticket could be booked.

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“Send me your Aadhaar card to book tickets for a wedding that is never going to happen,” Siya allegedly said in the chat.

Police are investigating whether the purported flight booking was part of an alleged plan to create the impression that wedding preparations were continuing, thereby diverting suspicion from the alleged murder conspiracy. Investigators are also examining whether it formed part of a broader strategy to mislead authorities after Ketan’s death.

Officials said the authenticity of the alleged Snapchat conversation and its evidentiary value are yet to be established.

According to investigators, forensic recovery of deleted mobile phone data indicates that Siya and Chetan Chaudhary exchanged coded messages after Ketan’s alleged murder.

Police suspect the communication was intended to conceal details of the alleged conspiracy. Investigators claim Siya and Chetan allegedly killed Ketan, who was engaged to Siya, before attempting to destroy evidence and mislead investigators.

Meanwhile, a local court has remanded both accused to 14 days of judicial custody. The court, however, rejected the police’s request for an additional three days of custodial interrogation.

Police had sought extended custody, arguing that a face-to-face interrogation of Siya and Chetan was necessary to decode the alleged conversations between them, understand their motive and establish their respective roles in the alleged murder conspiracy.

Investigating Officer Manoj Pawar told the court that a panchnama had been conducted at the location where Siya was suspected of tearing Ketan’s passport. Police also seized her clothes as part of the investigation. He further said that an examination of Siya’s second mobile phone revealed what investigators described as coded conversations.

The investigating agency also sought permission to parade the accused before eyewitnesses for identification. However, Siya’s counsel opposed the plea for further police custody, contending that the investigation had not yielded any significant new material warranting extended interrogation.

The issue of conducting a narco analysis test also arose during the hearing. The court observed that such a test cannot be conducted without the consent of the accused. Since neither Siya nor Chetan agreed to undergo the procedure, permission for a narco test was declined. The prosecution also informed the court that it did not consider a narco analysis necessary at this stage. The investigation into the case is ongoing.