Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Raj Kushwaha actual mastermind; aides killed as ‘favour to friend’

NEW DELHI: In another revelation in the Raju Raghuvanshi murder case, the East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem, has disclosed critical details about the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, labelling Raj Kushwaha as the mastermind ans that it was a favour by the others involved and not contract killing.

The case, which has gripped the region, has taken a new turn with the identification of the mastermind behind the heinous act.

According to SP Syiem, Raj Kushwaha orchestrated the murder, with Sonam, Raja's wife, playing a pivotal role in the execution of the plan. "The mastermind of this is Raj Kushwaha. Sonam played along with this plan," he said.

The plot involved three individuals, including Raj's cousin, who were not hired assassins but rather friends doing a favor for Kushwaha. " The three people involved are friend and one of them is Raj's cousin. It was not a contract killing. They did it as a favour for their friend," he added.

Further talking about the planning behind the murder, he further said, "Since February, when they were in Indore, they were planning on how Sonam would disappear... When Raja and Sonam got married, they came to Kamakhya Devi Temple. The other four people also came here a few days before. They planned to eliminate Raja in Guwahati. Sonam made the plan to come to Shillong."

On June 2, the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was recovered from a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra (Cherrapunji), East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya. Raja and his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, had gone missing on May 23 while on their honeymoon in the state, after being married on May 11.

Examination revealed that Raja sustained severe head injuries, and authorities later recovered a blood-stained sharp weapon from the scene. Sonam surrendered to police in Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8. Additionally, four other accused individuals, including Kushwaha, were apprehended from various locations in Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Uttar Pradesh. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya police is probing the murder case.