Meghalaya murder: 'Suspected conspirator Raj Kushwaha and 3 other accused knew each other well'

Indore/Shillong: Raj Kushwaha, who allegedly plotted the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi with the latter's wife Sonam during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, and three other men hired for executing the crime knew each other since the past, police officials said.

Indore Police also claimed Kushwaha, the suspected boyfriend of Sonam, didn't travel to the northeastern state to avoid suspicion and went about his daily routine.

Despite being a class 12 pass-out, Kushwaha worked as an accountant at the furniture sheet unit owned by the family of Sonam, a resident of the Govind Nagar Kharcha area in Indore. She used to look after the family business.

After their wedding on May 11 in Indore, Raja and Sonam travelled to the northeastern state for honeymoon. They disappeared on May 23, hours after checking out of a homestay at Nongriat village, 20 km from where Raja's body was found on June 2.

Raja was killed by three men allegedly hired by Sonam, who went 'missing'.

She surfaced in UP's Ghazipur on Sunday night where she surrendered at the Nandganj police station after Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Anand Kurmi were arrested from UP and Indore and Sagar towns. Raj Singh Kushwaha (21), the alleged conspirator, was arrested later.

Prima facie, there is no previous criminal record against all four accused, aged 20 to 25 years, in local police stations, an Indore Police official said, adding that the accused have known each other for long.

Kushwaha and three other accused are currently in the transit custody of Meghalaya Police.

According to police, Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly orchestrated the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in the scenic town of Sohra in Meghalaya.

A tourist guide from Sohra in Meghalaya, who alerted police about the presence of three men accompanying Raja and Sonam on the day they went missing, on Tuesday claimed that he identified one of the suspects after seeing some photographs.

Albert Pde, the guide at Mawlakhiat told PTI, "I could identify one of the suspects from the photos provided by police." "I am happy that the criminals are finally behind bars. We stand vindicated. Those who tried to tarnish the image of Sohra and its people as violent have now been exposed," Pde added.

The autopsy report of Raja Raghuvanshi indicated that he was hit twice with a sharp object on his head, officials at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) said.

"The autopsy report indicated there were two sharp cuts on the head of the deceased — one from behind and one from the front," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said.

Meghalaya Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has availed a transit remand for Sonam and they are bringing her to Shillong where she will be produced in court.

Earlier in the day, the Meghalaya police produced Anand Kurmi before the court which sent him on seven-day transit remand, Indore's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia said.

Raj Kushwaha's mother, Chunni Devi, claimed that her son was innocent and was implicated in the case. She said Raj had cried inconsolably after attending Raja Raghuvanshi's funeral in Indore.

"My son is innocent. He has been framed. How can a 20-year-old boy commit such a big crime? He is the only breadwinner after my husband passed away," Chunni Devi told PTI.

She said her son had been working at the business establishment owned by Sonam's family for the last two years.

Raj's sister Suhani rejected reports that her brother was romantically involved with Sonam, stressing that they used to address each other as brother and sister.

"My brother and Sonam only shared the employee-employer relationship. He addressed Sonam as 'didi', while she calls him 'bhaiya'," Suhani added.

A viral video showed Raj comforting Sonam's father, Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, who reached the house of Raja before the funeral.

On the other hand, Raja's father Ashok Raghuvanshi demanded the death penalty for all culprits.

"My son died in agony. All the culprits should be hanged to set an example so that no family loses its son to such crime in future," he said.

He also claimed that Sonam got her husband murdered to remove the 'Mangal Dosh' in her horoscope so that she could later marry her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha.

Raja's mother Uma said initially they didn't believe Sonam could get her son killed, but gradually became convinced about her possible involvement.

"If Sonam liked another boy, why didn't she refuse to marry Raja? Why did she kill my son?" Uma asked, pointing out that Sonam planned to visit Meghalaya.

She also claimed Sonam's family had no information about her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha before Meghalaya Police cracked the case.

Sonam's mother, Sangeeta, claimed false allegations were raised against her daughter.

"I cannot say right now what might have happened to Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya?", she said and demanded a detailed investigation into the murder case.

Politicians and common people from Meghalaya have expressed unhappiness over the portrayal of the northeastern state by media in the wake of the murder.

Raja's elder brother Vipin Raghuvanshi said he wanted to apologise for giving statements against the Meghalaya government.

"We did not know that Meghalaya Police were conducting a secret operation to nab Raja's killers. We had no intention of defaming the Meghalaya government. We are also grateful to the MP government for supporting us," he added.