Investigators in New Delhi are pursuing fresh digital evidence in what they believe was a premeditated murder, with police scrutinising alleged Snapchat conversations and encrypted exchanges between two accused individuals. The case centres on the death of Ketan Agarwal, and authorities are now examining whether the suspects attempted to use false wedding preparations as a smokescreen for their alleged crime. Though the authenticity of the purported digital communications has not yet been formally established, officers believe the material could prove crucial in reconstructing the timeline of events and determining the extent of any cover-up operation.
At the heart of the investigation is an alleged exchange between Siya Goyal, reportedly Ketan's fiancée, and an unnamed acquaintance on Snapchat. According to police sources, Goyal requested her friend's Aadhaar identification card ostensibly to arrange flight bookings. The phrasing of the request, however, has drawn investigative attention: the accused woman allegedly wrote that tickets were needed for "a wedding that is never going to happen." This peculiar formulation has led detectives to suspect the booking may have been a deliberate attempt to create the false impression that wedding arrangements were proceeding normally, thereby disguising the alleged homicide and deflecting suspicion from those involved.
The digital evidence forms part of a broader investigative strategy centred on communications analysis. Forensic examination of deleted data retrieved from mobile phones belonging to both Goyal and her co-accused, Chetan Chaudhary, has revealed what police describe as deliberately obscured messages exchanged in the period following Ketan's death. Investigators theorise that this coded language was designed specifically to conceal details of an alleged conspiracy, allowing the suspects to communicate about their actions while maintaining plausible deniability should their phones be examined by authorities.
Police allege that Siya Goyal, who was engaged to marry the deceased, conspired with Chetan Chaudhary to commit murder. According to the charge, the pair not only carried out the alleged killing but subsequently took deliberate steps to destroy evidence and mislead the ongoing investigation. The prosecution's theory suggests a calculated operation involving multiple stages: the commission of the alleged crime, followed by systematic efforts to conceal involvement and misdirect investigators toward alternative explanations or suspects.
The judicial custody decision has complicated police efforts to advance their investigation. A local court granted both accused individuals 14 days in judicial custody while rejecting the investigating agency's request for an additional three days of police custody. During the hearing, Investigating Officer Manoj Pawar detailed the actions taken so far, including a formal panchnama conducted at a location where Siya was allegedly found tearing Ketan's passport. Police also seized the woman's clothing as material evidence. The examination of her secondary mobile phone allegedly revealed the coded conversations that have now become central to understanding the alleged conspiracy.
The issue of using advanced interrogation techniques also surfaced during court proceedings. Both the prosecution and defence addressed the possibility of conducting narco analysis, a controversial procedure involving the administration of drugs to encourage statements from suspects. However, the court firmly established that no such test could proceed without the explicit consent of the accused individuals. Since both Goyal and Chaudhary declined to undergo the procedure, the application was denied. Notably, the prosecution team indicated they did not consider narco analysis necessary at the current stage of the investigation, suggesting confidence in the digital evidence and other materials they have gathered.
The digital evidence strategy reflects modern investigative approaches in high-profile Indian criminal cases. By examining metadata, deleted communications, and messaging patterns, police believe they can reconstruct not only what was said but also the deliberate attempts to obscure communication. This approach has become increasingly sophisticated as suspects become aware of surveillance possibilities and attempt to use coded language or brief exchanges to avoid detection. The investigation highlights how digital forensics can expose the scaffolding of alleged conspiracies, revealing the mechanics of coordination between multiple perpetrators.
For Malaysian readers following this case, the investigation demonstrates broader regional concerns about how domestic violence intersects with conspiracy and premeditation. The case involves an engagement relationship that allegedly became the cover for murder, raising questions about how communities assess relationship dynamics and warning signs. The use of social media and digital communications as evidence also reflects how criminal investigations across South Asia increasingly rely on recovering deleted data and interpreting messaging patterns, a trend that has implications for digital privacy and surveillance standards throughout the region.
The refusal of both accused to consent to narco analysis is significant legally and practically. While such procedures remain controversial globally and are increasingly questioned on scientific and ethical grounds, the fact that both individuals declined suggests they may be maintaining a consistent defensive position. The prosecution's statement that narco analysis was not currently necessary indicates they believe other evidence pathways are proving productive. The coded messages, the suspicious Aadhaar card request, and the recovered passport destruction incident collectively create a circumstantial narrative that investigators believe supports their conspiracy theory.
Moving forward, the investigation faces the challenge of transforming circumstantial digital evidence into proof that meets the threshold of criminal conviction. Indian courts require not merely suspicious communications but clear evidence demonstrating guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The alleged "wedding that is never going to happen" comment, while suggestive of consciousness of guilt, remains open to alternative interpretations without corroborating testimony or physical evidence directly linking the accused to Ketan's death. Investigators must therefore continue building their case through forensic analysis, witness statements, and the systematic decoding of digital exchanges.
