Prosecutors in the murder case of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal requested a three-day extension of police custody for the main suspects, Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary, on Friday. They argued that continued detention was needed to interpret alleged coded messages found on the suspects’ phones.
The pair appeared before Judicial Magistrate First Class AM Vibhute after their initial custody period ended. They face charges of pushing Agarwal off Lohagad Fort near Pune on 18 June.
The prosecution stated that digital records showed the accused used symbols, nicknames and coded terms that required their help to understand. An assistant public prosecutor noted that a site inspection had also been conducted where the suspects reportedly practiced their plan.
Police recovered another phone linked to Goyal and sent it for forensic testing. Earlier phone data has been analyzed, revealing chats with nicknames and emojis whose meanings investigators say only the accused can clarify.
Authorities allege the pair planned the killing during a trip to the fort and may have rehearsed beforehand. The court is considering the request for more custody time to clarify the messages and establish the timeline of events.
