As of April 7, 2026, the Pune Police investigation into the death of realtor Ketan Agarwal at Lohagad Fort remains centered on the alleged involvement of Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary. Authorities have moved to secure judicial permission for polygraph examinations on the accused, though legal constraints define these tests as investigative tools rather than conclusive evidence.
The Indian legal framework mandates that polygraph results are not admissible as substantive proof in a court of law, nor can an accused’s refusal to undergo the procedure be interpreted as an admission of guilt.
| Status of Investigation | Primary Objective |
|---|---|
| Current Basis | Circumstantial evidence and crime reconstruction. |
| Polygraph Role | Generating fresh leads for independent verification. |
| Legal Standing | Not direct evidence; consent must be voluntary. |
The Mechanics of Procedural Consent
Following the formal request by investigators, the court granted approval for tests on two of the three implicated individuals; one suspect has reportedly exercised their right to decline. The protocol requires that:
Consent must be formally recorded before a judicial magistrate.
Any data gathered, such as references to specific locations or digital interactions, requires subsequent forensic validation to hold weight in a trial.
The prosecution is attempting to construct a "foolproof" case, prioritizing evidence that is independently corroborated to survive intense scrutiny.
Context of the Lohagad Fort Case
The case gained prominence following a complaint filed by Vishal Agarwal, the father of the deceased, regarding the relationship dynamics between the victim and Siya Goyal. Investigators allege that Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary engaged in rehearsals of the incident prior to the event, a theory currently supported by physical re-enactments using a dummy.
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Technical Efficacy
While police seek these tests to uncover hidden variables, the reliability of polygraph technology remains a subject of ongoing Scientific Debate. Because the body’s physiological responses—heart rate, sweat gland activity, and blood pressure—are subject to individual variation and potential manipulation, investigators acknowledge that these tests serve only to provide a potential trajectory for evidence recovery rather than serving as the cornerstone of a conviction.
The strategy currently employed by the Pune Police is one of synthesis: utilizing polygraph-derived insights to lead them toward tangible, forensic material that can be presented as the primary Substantive Evidence in court.
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