A shocking new angle has emerged in the investigation into the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Police have disclosed that the accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha, had plotted to murder an unknown woman, burn her body, and pass it off as Sonam’s, so Sonam could disappear and stay in hiding.
Murder any woman, burn the body
Police say the planning began in February in Indore. Raj Kushwaha, reportedly Sonam’s boyfriend, was identified as the mastermind, with Sonam as a co-conspirator. “One plan was to make people believe that she would wash away by a river. Another plan was to murder any woman, burn the body and claim that it was of Sonam. However, none of the plans fructify,” a police officer told PTI. When these plans failed, the group moved forward with a plot to kill Raja during the honeymoon.
The group arrived in Assam days before the newlyweds reached Meghalaya on May 19. On May 23, Raja was attacked and killed near Weisawdong Falls. Police said, “All three hit Raja with a machete they bought in Assam and killed him in front of Sonam between 2 pm and 2.18 pm on May 23 before throwing the body in a gorge.” After the murder, Sonam gave her raincoat to one of the accused to cover up blood stains, and the group left the murder spot on scooters. The raincoat and the two-wheeler were later recovered by police.
Escape, Arrests, and Ongoing Probe
After the murder, Sonam changed into a burqa provided by one of the accused and travelled across several states, eventually reaching Indore. Raj instructed Sonam to claim she had been abducted, in an attempt to mislead investigators. The case broke open after police arrested one of the accused in Uttar Pradesh, which led to Sonam contacting her family and the truth coming to light.
Police have confirmed that all five accused have been arrested and are in custody. “We are recording their statements. We are questioning them. We will gather more evidence and reconstruct the crime scene,” said East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem. The police are confident they will file a charge sheet within 90 days.
