After the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya, Sonam fled wearing a burqa. She traveled from Shillong to Indore using taxis, buses, and trains. The involvement of her friends in the murder has also come to light.
Raja Murder Case: Meghalaya Police have made several shocking revelations in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. Sonam Raghuvanshi plotted the murder of her fiancé just before their wedding and, after the crime, fled to Indore via several states while wearing a burqa. Police have also arrested three of her friends in connection with the murder.
Murder Plot Originated in Indore
The conspiracy behind the murder of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi is no less than a film script. The Meghalaya Police investigation revealed that the plan began in February. However, the final details were worked out in Indore, just before Sonam and Raja's wedding. Sonam Raghuvanshi herself was involved in this plan.
Accused Initially Believed to be Contract Killers, Later Identified as Friends
The three people arrested by the police were initially believed to be contract killers. However, it was later discovered that all three—Vishal, Akash, and Anand—were old friends of Raja. According to the police, they committed the murder not for money, but in the name of friendship. However, Raja did pay them ₹50,000 for the act.
How Raja Was Murdered?
According to Vivek Siiem, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya, the accused arrived in Assam on May 19th. The initial plan was to kill Raja in Guwahati, but that failed. Sonam then suggested going to Shillong and Sohra.
All the accused met in the Nongriat area and proceeded to the Nohkalikai Falls. Between 2:00 PM and 2:18 PM, the three accused attacked Raja with machetes purchased from Assam. Raja was murdered in Sonam's presence, and his body was thrown into a ravine.
After the murder, Sonam gave her raincoat to Akash because her shirt was stained with blood. Later, the raincoat and a two-wheeler were abandoned some distance from the scene and subsequently recovered by the police.
Sonam's Escape Route
After the murder, Sonam wore a burqa to conceal her identity. This burqa was provided by Raj, delivered to Sonam through her friend Vishal. She then took a taxi from Shillong's Police Bazaar and reached Guwahati. From there, she traveled by bus to Siliguri (West Bengal), then to Patna and Ara, and finally took a train to Lucknow and a bus to Indore.
During this journey, she did not use her mobile phone or social media to avoid police tracking. Her aim was to present herself as a kidnapped girl until Raja's body was discovered.
Plan to Murder Another Woman
The investigation also revealed the shocking fact that the accused wanted to murder another woman. Their plan was to kill another woman after Raja and disfigure her face to make her appear as Sonam, suggesting Sonam had drowned in the river. This would mislead the police investigation and garner sympathy for Sonam. However, the police arrested the accused before this plan could be implemented.
How the Case Was Solved?
The testimony of a guide was crucial in this case. He had seen Raja and Sonam with three other people. Raja had told Sonam to go to Siliguri and present herself as kidnapped.
However, as Sonam left Indore on June 8th, the police had already deployed teams in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. When Akash was arrested in Uttar Pradesh, Raj panicked and called Sonam, telling her to tell her family that she had escaped from a gang. This was the turning point where police suspicion turned into certainty, and Sonam surrendered to the police in Ghazipur.
Raja and Sonam were confident that it would take time to find the body in the remote area, giving them time to prove their innocence. However, the swift police action foiled their plan.
Chargesheet to be Filed Soon
Superintendent of Police Vivek Siiem informed that the statements of the accused are being recorded, and the chargesheet will be filed within the 90-day deadline. All five accused are currently in 8-day police custody. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter, working with police from several states, including Assam. Police are also investigating whether the accused had previously conducted reconnaissance of the Sohra and Nongriat jungles.
