Shillong Police gets transit remand of four accused
Correspondent/Agencies
Shillong: It has now emerged that Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder stemmed from a love triangle, with the victim’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, at the centre of the conspiracy.
Meghalaya Police on Monday confirmed that Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, were in close coordination to plot the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home, Prestone Tynsong, addressing reporters in Shillong, stated, “Raja’s wife Sonam is the prime suspect in the murder case.”
Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem, revealed, “Preliminary investigation indicates that Raj and Sonam conspired to murder Raja Raghuvanshi.” He further added that Aakash Rajput, Anand Khurmi, and Vishal Singh Chauhan had travelled to Shillong to carry out the planned killing.
“All three suspects — Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, and Akash Rajput — were arrested from Indore and nearby areas in Madhya Pradesh,” said Syiem. He confirmed the arrest of a fourth suspect, Anand Patel, from MP’s Sagar district.
“The first person arrested is a 19-year-old Akash Rajput, from Lalitpur. The second accused is Vishal Singh Chauhan, 22, from Indore, the third is 21-year-old Raj Singh Kushwaha, from Indore,” said Vivek Syiem on Monday afternoon.
SP Vivek Syiem also confirmed that the weapon used in the murder of Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi was procured from Guwahati. While specific details were withheld, the police made it clear that the weapon originated from the Assam capital.
Addressing the media, Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh revealed that the murder stemmed from a love triangle, with the victim’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, at the centre of the conspiracy. “As per the SIT investigation, the main accused is Sonam. She came with three other killers. She had surrendered herself to the UP police. Three others have also been arrested and have confessed to the crime. The (crime) weapon has been recovered. A total of 4 people have been arrested,” said Lyngdoh.
The revelation confirms that the brutal killing in Sohra was not a spontaneous act of violence but a cold-blooded murder meticulously planned and executed by the victim’s wife.
Meghalaya Police said that this outcome is the result of round-the-clock efforts by the Meghalaya Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), supported by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local intelligence units, and law enforcement agencies across multiple states.
A court in Madhya Pradesh granted seven days’ transit remand of three accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case to the Shillong Police on Monday.
The three accused – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Raj Singh Kushwaha – will now be taken to Shillong for further investigation.
Additional DCP (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya told ANI, “They were presented before the CJM Judge, and Shillong police got a 7-day transit remand. The fourth accused, Anand, is being brought to Indore from Sagar, Bina (Madhya Pradesh), and will be produced in court on Tuesday. All four will be taken to Shillong by Shillong Police.”
Following the arrest of four people in the Indore couple case, Meghalaya Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chief Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor said that, according to the post-mortem report, the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi sustained two head injuries.
”Post mortem saying two head injuries with a sharp cutting weapon,” Kharkongor said.
Sonam Raghuvansi, the wife of late Raja Raghuvanshi, was found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road, said a senior police official of Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday.
The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the full story of a case that has moved the nation.
Chronology
Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi were married on May 11.
Nine days later, on May 20, they left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
On May 22, the couple visited Sohra, a popular tourist destination, and rented a two-wheeler from Sagar Sen Samal for four days. That evening, they explored Mawalkhait village before hiring a guide to visit the famous double-decker bridge in Nongriyat village.
On May 23, the village head informed the police that the couple’s rented bike had been left unattended with the key still in the ignition at Golden Pines eatery.
That same day, both Raja and Sonam spoke to their families, with Sonam specifically calling her mother-in-law.
By May 24, Raja’s family began searching for the rental service that had provided the two-wheeler. On May 27, the Madhya Pradesh government intervened. Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, a native of Indore, informed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the case. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also reached out to Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma.
During the search, police discovered two bags near a gorge.
On May 28, Indore Member of Parliament Shankar Lalwani arrived in Shillong and met with senior police officers.
On May 29, heavy rains forced Meghalaya Police to halt their search operation.
The search resumed on May 30 but was again suspended due to bad weather on May 31.
On June 2, police recovered Raja’s body from a gorge. On June 3, authorities confirmed that Raja had been murdered using a ‘dao’, a local tool commonly used for cutting wood and trees.
On June 4, Raja’s body was transported to Indore.
On June 5, CCTV footage surfaced showing the couple checking into a hotel in Shillong.
On June 7, another CCTV clip emerged, showing Raja and Sonam adjusting their belongings in a suitcase outside a hotel.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI probe into the case.
On June 9, Sonam was found at Kashi Dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Meghalaya DGP Idashisha Nongrang later revealed that she had plotted and actively participated in Raja’s murder.
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