Shillong, June 20: Is the investigation into the high-profile murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi nearing its end? From the way investigation has progressed and the information shared, it seems Meghalaya Police have more or less unearthed all the facts and evidences related to the case and connected the dots.
One of the biggest hints is police seeking just 2 more days of extended custody for the prime accused in the case – Sonam Raghuvanshi (Raja’s wife) and her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and the mastermind of murder plan, while the other three alleged hired killers – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand Kurmi – have been sent to judicial custody.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem, indicated that while the three alleged hitmen can be taken back into police custody if needed, especially after the State police team returns from Indore with further evidence, it’s evident that most key connections in the case have been made.
However, a crucial piece of the puzzle that could shed light on the missing gold and diamond jewellery Raja was reportedly wearing, and potentially reveal more individuals connected to the incident, is the whereabouts of Sonam’s second mobile phone. Meghalaya Police are actively searching for this device, which Sonam reportedly used extensively after Raja’s murder.
“We believe that the second phone is probably with jewellery and other items which Sonam has left behind,” SP Syiem said on Thursday.
The police team in Indore had hoped to locate the mobile phone and jewellery at the rented flat where Sonam allegedly stayed between May 26 and June 8, after Raja’s murder. However, the flat was found to have been cleaned out by ‘somebody’.
“We were hoping that when the team goes there, and the place was locked, so the items of Sonam would be there. But it appears that it has been shifted from there by somebody. The team is out there to ascertain who has taken it and where all these items are,” Syiem revealed.
Nonetheless, the team in Indore is busy gathering further information, facts, and evidence. This includes identifying the drivers who transported Sonam from Indore to Varanasi on June 8, and questioning atleast one of them. This marks a major breakthrough in the case as it was being speculated that the two men, who dropped Sonam at Varanasi bus station, were related to the case. They had been spotted by a woman, Ujala Yadav, at Varanasi bus station, who was later incidentally seated next to Sonam on the Gorakhpur-bound bus. However, the two men have been identified as taxi drivers associated with a travel agency, which was allegedly booked by Raj to take Sonam to Varanasi.
The officials have also completed questioning of Govind Raghuvanshi and Govind’s mother.
Furthermore, SP Syiem disclosed that the name ‘Sanjay Verma’, appearing in Truecaller app records, is a fictitious name for a number that actually belongs to Raj Kushwaha himself. He also highlighted the “huge” tally of calls exchanged between Raj and Sonam.
Sonam and Raj are scheduled to be produced before the court again on Saturday.
“Once we are done with the two days, we will do analysis investigation and then again if required we will take police custody,” Syiem added.
The SP concluded by emphasizing that extensive interrogation and questioning are still underway to “get the complete picture” of the murder.
Raja got married to Sonam on May 11 in Indore, was murdered near Wei Sawdong Falls in Sohra on May 23, and his decomposed body was recovered on June 2 from the gorge adjacent to the Falls’ parking lot. The four accused men – Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi were arrested on June 8-9 from different parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh while Sonam surrendered in the early hours of June 9 at Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh. All five were brought to Shillong on June 11 (Sonam around 12:30 AM, others around 10 AM) and sent to 8 days of police custody.
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