Lohagad Fort murder: Lover’s friend becomes third arrest over alleged plot, police say

The alleged murder plot at Pune’s Lohagad Fort has led to a third arrest. Police say Ritesh Hange, a friend of Chetan Choudhary, helped plan the killing of realtor Ketan Agarwal.

Hange, 22, lives in Beed and works for a private company in Pune. Police arrested him on Friday and presented him before the Vadgaon Maval court, which remanded him in custody until September 12. He faces an allegation of criminal conspiracy in the case.

According to Pune rural police, Agarwal’s fiancée, Siya Goyal, 20, and Choudhary, 22, allegedly pushed him from a cliff at Lohagad Fort on June 18, causing his death. Choudhary is described as Goyal’s alleged lover.

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During the investigation, it came to light that Ritesh was involved in the planning of Ketan Agarwal’s murder.

Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill said investigators discovered Hange’s alleged role while examining a mobile phone seized during the probe. Police said chats and messages referred to planning the crime and attempts to remove or destroy evidence connecting the accused to the murder. Another officer said Hange planned the killing with Choudhary and Goyal.

The officer also alleged that Hange knew about an earlier plan to break Agarwal’s hands and legs before killing him. After the alleged murder at the fort, Choudhary reportedly contacted Hange and told him what had happened.

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He was aware of the earlier plan of Goyal and Chaudhary to injure Ketan by breaking his hands and legs and subsequently eliminate him. After allegedly executing the murder at Lohagad fort on June 18, Chetan contacted Ritesh and informed him about it.