The wife, Sonam, surrendered before the police in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, while three other assailants were arrested in overnight raids
Guwahati: In a dramatic and shocking twist to the Meghalaya murder case, Sonam Raghuvanshi is said to have confessed to have plotted her husband Raja's murder during their honeymoon in Shillong.
Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang told reporters that Sonam hired assailants to kill her husband Raja. Sonam surrendered in Ghazipur, UP, while three others were arrested. The couple was last seen near living root bridges before Raja's body was discovered.
The case, which initially appeared to be a missing persons investigation, has now unravelled into a carefully orchestrated murder plot.
Families of both Raja and Sonam had raised concerns and doubted the sincerity of Meghalaya police and demanded the handling of the investigation to the CBI. They had cited CCTV footage and GPS data from a rented scooty that allegedly showed the presence of three to four individuals with the couple — leads that they claim were initially overlooked by the authorities. The Meghalaya Police however urged the media and public to allow the investigation to proceed without speculation and have assured that justice will be delivered.
Police said that in coordinated operations with UP and MP police they have arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi, the missing wife of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, along with three alleged contract killers in connection with the murder.
It is significant that the case took an unexpected turn when Sonam Raghuvanshi was found at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road in Uttar Pradesh.
Police said that Sonam’s surrender was the result of sustained pressure from the multi-state investigation. The three individuals accused of executing the murder — Vicky Thakur, Anand, and Akash — were allegedly hired by Sonam and Raj Kushwaha.
Security sources further disclosed that Sonam had deliberately chosen Meghalaya as the honeymoon destination and had only booked one-way tickets. The plan to kill Raja was premeditated.
Though Meghalaya police said that they are looking into all the conspiracy angles in its investigation, sources said that Sonam Raghuvanshi, had an affair with a man named Raj Kushwaha.
Kushwaha has been identified as the alleged mastermind behind the murder, sources said on Monday. According to sources, Raj Kushwaha, who was five years younger than Sonam and in a relationship with her prior to her marriage, conspired with her to eliminate Raja. Call detail records reportedly revealed frequent communication between Raj and Sonam, which became a crucial lead in the joint operation by the Indore and Shillong police. Raj Kushwaha has been apprehended based on these findings.
During their visit, the couple went missing on May 23, prompting a search operation. Ten days later, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang.
