Raja Raghuvanshi murder case highlights: Sonam to be produced in court today

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Raja Raghuvanshi murder case live: A Meghalaya Police team, meanwhile, visited one of the accused Vishal Chauhan's house in Indore. Indore's Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Poonamchandra Yadav said based on information given by Chauhan, the pants and shirts he was wearing at the time of Raghuvanshi's murder were seized from his house.

"Meghalaya Police will send these clothes to the forensic science laboratory to find out whether there are blood stains on them," he said.

Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case who was initially reported missing in Meghalaya, apparently visited Indore after her husband was murdered and stayed in a rented flat for three days, a police official said on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported.

"We have received the information that Sonam came to Indore and stayed in a rented flat in Dewas Naka area between May 25 and 27," the official said, adding that Meghalaya Police will be able to give detailed information.

Hundreds of residents took part in a peace rally held in Sohra to condole Raja Raghuvanshi's death and extend their solidarity to the bereaved family, according to a release from the Meghalaya Tourism department.

Adding significance to the rally, Gavin Mylliem, MLA of Sohra Constituency, Titosstarwell Chyne, MDC, Sohra, along with Freeman Sing Syiem, Syiem of Hima Sohra, Marremdor Syiem, Deputy Syiem of Hima Sohra and members of Hima Sohra also joined the peace rally with the residents for 5 kilometres, the release stated.

A passenger at Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport on Tuesday night slapped an accused arrested in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, news agency PTI reported, citing eyewitnesses.

The incident took place when a Meghalaya Police team was entering the airport with four accused. When a passenger waiting with his luggage saw them walking by, he suddenly slapped one of the accused, apparently expressing his anger over Raghuvanshi's murder.

Indore's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia said a 12-member team of Meghalaya Police left for Shillong with the four accused -- Raj Kushwah, Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi.

As the accused were wearing masks, it was unclear as to who among them was slapped. 

Meghalaya minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Tuesday demanded a defamation case against those who "tarnished" the image of the state in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.

"Before the decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi was found, social media, national media and families of Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi tarnished the image of Meghalaya," Hek told news agency ANI.

He further said, "They defamed my state, Meghalaya Police, Government of Meghalaya and the public of the state. So, I was hurt...How will we tolerate such nonsense of tarnishing or maligning the image of Meghalaya? Police have done an excellent job. Truth has prevailed in 5 days...There should be the strictest punishment for a murder case. There should also be a defamation case against them for defaming us, otherwise they have to apologise."

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday appreciated the state police for cracking the murder case of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, saying that the force has "solid evidence" of the deceased's wife's involvement in the crime.

"A lot of evidence and facts are coming to light. It took the police a few days to put together the pieces and missing links. But, ultimately the links point to Sonam (Raghuvanshi’s wife)," Sangma told news agency PTI.

"We did not leave anything to chance,” the CM said.

A special investigation team of the Meghalaya Police will produce Sonam Raghuvanshi and the other accused before a local court here on Wednesday, officials said.

Meghalaya Police, which codenamed the investigation as 'Operation Honeymoon', had collected evidence from the residences and other places frequented by the accused in Indore and Ghazipur on Tuesday, they said.

MP ACP Crime Poonam Chandra Yadav informed that the Meghalaya Police left with all four accused from Indore. 

“They have left from Indore Airport just now. They will reach Delhi and then from there, will go to Guwahati on a connecting flight,” said Yadav.

The accused will be produced before a court, a Police remand will be sought, and further investigation will be done.

Indore Police said that Raju Kushwaha, the suspected boyfriend of Sonam, didn't travel to Meghalaya for the murder to avoid suspicion and went about his daily routine.

Raj Kushwaha, who allegedly plotted the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi with the latter's wife Sonam during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, and three other men hired to execute the crime, had known each other for the past, police officials said.

On the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, Meghalaya Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong said, "Meghalaya Police force is one of the best Police forces in India. The Police is so efficient under the leadership of the DGP, and I am very sure that they will be able to complete the entire investigation once these accused reach Shillong."

The four accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case are being taken to Shillong by Shillong Police after obtaining their seven-day transit remand for further investigation in the case, ANI reported.

On the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav said, "The Sonam Raghuvanshi-Raja Raghuvanshi incident is a lesson to society as well as a very painful incident. It teaches us several lessons. When two families come together through marriage, things need to be taken care of very minutely. Letting children go so far also needs to be thought about. I am hurt by this incident."

Arrested accused Raj Kushwaha's mother and sister arrived at the Indore Crime Branch's office, ANI reported.

Kushwaha's mother said, “ I have come here to meet Raj, but I have been asked to wait.” He is one of the four persons arrested in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.

The father of slain Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, whose ghastly murder in Meghalaya, allegedly at the behest of his wife Sonam, led to the arrest of four men, on Tuesday demanded the death penalty for all culprits.

Meghalaya minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Tuesday demanded an apology from the families of both Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi for allegedly 'tarnishing' the image of the state and its people. READ MORE

Meghalaya's Shillong Police, along with Indore Crime Branch, on Tuesday conducted a search at the Indore residence of one of the four accused, Vishal Singh Chauhan, reported ANI.

Raj Kushwaha, who allegedly had an affair with Sonam Raghuvanshi, was a trusted employee. When Sonam's brother was in Meghalaya to search for his sister and brother-in-law, he entrusted the business to Raj Kushwaha.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said the state government would ensure that the trial of the sensational Raja Raghuvanshi murder case is conducted expeditiously, promising swift justice for the 29-year-old Indore businessman killed during his honeymoon in the state.

In a viral video, Raju Kushwaha, Sonam's alleged boyfriend and an employee of Sonam's brother, was seen comforting her father, Devi Singh, when he was mourning his son-in-law, whose body was found in a gorge in Meghalaya on June 2.

Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, said Sonam planned for their honeymoon and took ₹9 lakhs from Raja to book tickets and hotels. She even insisted on taking all the jewellery with them on the honeymoon.

Vipin Raghuvanshi, the brother of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, said that his brother's wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is accused of plotting the murder along with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, came to UP's Ghazipur with two people. He also claimed Sonam's mother knew about the alleged affair but kept it from others.

After recovering Raja Raghuvanshi’s body on June 2 in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, the Meghalaya police made a major breakthrough in the case after a week with a series of five arrests on Monday. READ MORE

According to police, Raj Kushwaha is Sonam’s alleged boyfriend, who helped her hatch the plan to kill her husband, Raja. Three others are the men allegedly hired to carry out the killing.

All the accused are now in Meghalaya police’s custody and are being taken to Meghalaya for further investigation.