A murder investigation in New Delhi has taken a significant digital turn, with police now focusing on analysing alleged Snapchat conversations and encrypted message exchanges between two suspects as they attempt to reconstruct events surrounding Ketan Agarwal's death. The development represents a critical phase in the probe, where investigators believe electronic evidence could prove instrumental in establishing whether the accused deliberately attempted to conceal their alleged involvement in the crime or deliberately misled authorities.
At the heart of the enquiry lies an alleged exchange between accused Siya Goyal and an acquaintance, where investigators claim she requested access to the friend's Aadhaar identification document under the pretext of booking flight tickets. The purported message, which read "Send me your Aadhaar card to book tickets for a wedding that is never going to happen," has caught police attention as potentially revealing consciousness of guilt. Authorities suspect the booking request was designed to maintain the façade that wedding arrangements were proceeding normally, thereby deflecting suspicion from the alleged homicide that investigators believe had already occurred.
The significance of this alleged exchange extends beyond the literal request for identity documents. Police theorise that the reference to a wedding—given that Siya was reportedly engaged to the deceased—represented a calculated attempt to sustain normalcy in external appearances while allegedly concealing a serious crime. By maintaining the illusion that wedding preparations continued uninterrupted, investigators suggest the accused may have hoped to establish an alibi narrative and divert attention from their alleged involvement. This approach, if substantiated, would indicate a degree of premeditation and deliberate deception rather than spontaneous criminal action.
Forensic examination of deleted data from Siya's mobile devices has revealed what investigators characterise as coded communications between her and co-accused Chetan Chaudhary. Police contend these exchanges were deliberately obscured to prevent easy discovery by law enforcement, suggesting the pair sought to conceal details of their alleged conspiracy through cryptic language and deliberate obfuscation. The decryption and interpretation of these messages has become a priority for the investigating team, as such evidence could potentially establish the timeline of events, demonstrate coordination between the accused, and reveal their individual roles in the alleged crime.
The investigation operates within significant legal constraints that have thus far limited police authority to extract information directly from the suspects. A local court has granted both accused fourteen days of judicial custody, effectively declining police requests for an additional three days of interrogation in their detention. The investigating officer, Manoj Pawar, had argued that extended custody was essential to question the suspects together, decode their alleged communications, establish criminal motive, and differentiate between their respective culpability. The court's decision reflects judicial caution regarding custodial interrogation, a procedure that has historically proven controversial in Indian investigations.
The evidence gathering phase has proceeded through conventional investigative methods despite the digital focus. Police conducted a forensic examination at a location where Siya allegedly destroyed Ketan's passport, and investigators seized her clothing as potential forensic evidence. These physical investigative steps complement the digital analysis and demonstrate a multi-layered approach to establishing the circumstances of the alleged death. The combination of material evidence with electronic data represents contemporary investigative practice in serious criminal cases.
One avenue of investigation that remains unexploited involves narco analysis, a procedure that uses sedating drugs to purportedly lower psychological resistance and encourage truthfulness. During judicial proceedings, the question of subjecting the accused to such testing arose, yet the court made clear that such analysis cannot proceed without explicit consent from those being tested. Both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary declined to undergo the procedure, foreclosing this investigative option. Notably, the prosecution itself indicated it did not consider narco analysis necessary at the current investigation stage, suggesting confidence in other evidence gathering methods.
For Malaysian observers and regional analysts, this case illustrates evolving approaches to digital forensics in South Asian criminal investigations. The emphasis on decoding encrypted and deleted messages reflects how law enforcement agencies across the region are adapting to the reality that modern criminal activity often leaves digital footprints that can be recovered and analysed. The investigative focus on seemingly innocuous communications—such as a message about wedding preparations—demonstrates how investigators are learning to recognise significance in ordinary-seeming exchanges when examined within criminal context.
The investigation also raises questions about the reliability and admissibility of recovered digital evidence. Authorities have emphasised that the authenticity and evidential value of the alleged Snapchat conversation remain unverified. Courts in multiple jurisdictions, including India, have established rigorous standards for accepting digital evidence precisely because of concerns about authenticity, chain of custody, and potential manipulation. The fact that investigators remain cautious about confirming the legitimacy of their own recovered evidence reflects appropriate professional scepticism.
As the fourteen-day custody period unfolds, police will likely intensify efforts to decode the alleged messages and establish connections between the digital communications and physical evidence. The case demonstrates how modern murder investigations require expertise spanning multiple domains—traditional detective work, forensic science, and sophisticated digital analysis. Whether the alleged evidence will ultimately prove sufficient for prosecution depends not only on the technical decryption of coded messages but also on establishing clear evidentiary chains and contextual meaning that satisfies legal standards of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
