Operation Honeymoon: Accused blame each other as murder probe deepens in Sohra killing

Shillong, June 12: The investigation into the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi is fast turning into a web of deceit and conflicting claims, with the two prime accused — his wife Sonam and Raj Kushwaha — blaming each other for masterminding the crime.

According to Davis N R Marak, DIG of the Eastern Range, Sonam has admitted to being part of the conspiracy but insists Raj was the one who plotted the murder. Raj, in turn, has accused Sonam of orchestrating the killing.

“Sonam has confessed to being part of the conspiracy, but the question of who the mastermind is remains unclear. Both are blaming each other. Once we complete our interrogation, we will take them to Sohra to establish the facts and resolve inconsistencies. After that, we’ll proceed to different locations for crime scene reconstruction,” DIG Marak said, on Thursday.

He also confirmed that claims of hired killers being paid Rs 20 lakh are under active investigation.

The case, which has shocked Meghalaya and beyond, began with the discovery of Raja Raghuvanshi’s mutilated body in the remote Sohra region.

Initially, Raja and Sonam’s disappearance was treated as a missing persons case, but the recovery of Raja’s remains triggered a full-scale murder investigation.

Sonam, now in custody, was arrested after she surrendered in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 9. Meghalaya police obtained a three-day transit remand and brought her to Shillong under tight security.

She was flown overnight via Patna and Kolkata and taken to Sadar Police Station in Shillong. After a medical examination at a government hospital, she was placed in custody for judicial proceedings.

On her arrival in Meghalaya, Sonam, Raj, and three other suspects — Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi — were produced before a Shillong court, which granted eight days of police remand.