The Meghalaya Police claims to have cracked the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, a businessman from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The police assert that the mastermind behind the murder was none other than Raja's wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi. She executed her plan with the help of her lover, Raj Kushwaha, and four hired assassins. The police team is taking all the accused to Shillong on transit remand for further interrogation. The entire operation was aptly named 'Operation Honeymoon' by Meghalaya Police.
According to a senior police officer, the accused were apprehended under 'Operation Honeymoon'. The SIT (Special Investigation Team) assembled for this case comprised 120 police officers, including several officers of SP and DSP rank. These teams were led by Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem and SP (City) Herbert P. Kharpuyer of East Khasi Hills. The investigation also involved the NDRF, SDRF, Jaintia Hills Mountaineering Club, and a team of sniffer dogs.
Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi tied the knot on 11th May. Following Sonam's plan, the couple went to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. On 23rd May, they both disappeared suddenly. On 2nd June, Raja's body was discovered in a deep gorge near Cheerapunji's Visavadong Waterfall. The condition of the body and the bloodstained dao (knife) and raincoat found nearby confirmed the murder. The identification was made possible by the 'Raja' tattoo on his right arm and the waterproof smartwatch on his wrist.
Near the corpse, the police found a woman's white shirt, a strip of Paintra 40 medicine, a broken mobile phone, a smartwatch, and a new sharp weapon. The post-mortem report revealed that Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered with a sharp weapon used for tree cutting in East Khasi Hills. The initial investigation theory of robbery yielded no clues. Raja's call details were scrutinized but didn't offer any leads.
It wasn't until the police examined Sonam's call records that suspicion pointed toward her. Despite the family's complete trust in Sonam, ongoing calls with Raj Kushwaha in Indore provided key clues that unlocked the case. Meghalaya Police asserted that a love affair existed between Sonam and Raj.
Source: aajtak
Though marriage was arranged by her family, Sonam's heart belonged to Raj Kushwaha. Post-marriage, Sonam started orchestrating Raja's removal. On 21st May, all accused arrived in Guwahati. Subsequently, on 22nd May, they proceeded to Shillong, committing the crime on 23rd May. Sonam returned to Indore by train that day, reaching Indore on 25th May, where she met Raj.
Raj Kushwaha arranged for her to stay in a rented room in Indore for a day, and then a driver took her to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Following the murder, Sonam and Raj continually communicated. Post reaching Shillong, they neither clicked nor uploaded any photos, but Sonam unknowingly posted from Raja's account after the murder, which drew suspicion. The post proclaimed 'together for seven lifetimes' at 2:15 after the murder.
The Meghalaya Police soon deduced Sonam's involvement by 3rd and 4th June due to a blood-stained shirt found on the scene. She had given her raincoat to Akash, which was later found 6 km from the crime scene, a diversionary tactic. When Anand was caught, he wore the same clothes from the crime. Post-murder, all accused met 11 km away and parted ways after staying a day in Guwahati.
The police arrested Sonam's lover, Raj Kushwaha, in Indore. Vishal alias Vicky Thakur, involved in the murder plot, was caught in Indore, while Akash Rajput was arrested in Lalitpur, UP, and Anand in Bina, MP. The police claim that after arrests, Sonam's surrender drama in Ghazipur stemmed from realizing the long arm of law was closing in, boasting of unraveling a conspiracy.
Source: aajtak
According to police sources, the narrative revolves around Sonam's betrayal and murder plot. However, they must still address several questions to solidify their theory.
They need to explain...
- How did Sonam travel from Shillong to Ghazipur?
- Why did Sonam risk confronting the police?
- How did Vishal, Akash, and Anand return from Shillong?
- Did Sonam return with the accused from Shillong?
- What was the agreed price for Raja's murder?
- Who paid the hired killers?
- Did Raj orchestrate the deal with the killers while being in Indore?
