Raja Raghuvanshi murder: Crime scene recreated, SIT in Indore to probe money angle

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police probing the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi has gone to the Madhya Pradesh city to ascertain if there is any financial motive behind the killing, an officer said on Tuesday.

The police also brought all the accused in the murder, including Raghuvanshi’s wife Sonam, to Sohra, around 65 km from here, and recreated the crime scene amid heavy security.

Raghuvanshi was hacked to death in a parking lot near Weisawdong Falls and his body was dumped in a nearby gorge in Sohra area in East Khasi Hills district on May 23.

The businessman and his wife were on their honeymoon when he was killed allegedly by three hitmen – Vishal, Anand and Akash – sent by her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha who is also one of the arrested people.

“Our team is in Indore and questioning a few people. They are trying to find out if somebody has to gain from Raja’s death,” district Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem told PTI.

He said the team raided a flat in which Sonam stayed after fleeing Meghalaya but it was found empty.

“The SIT will be camping in Indore. They will ascertain the background and find out if there is any other angle other than the love triangle which the accused have already admitted,” the SP said.

Director General of Police I Nongrang who is monitoring the development of this case closely earlier said that the SIT is looking at other possible angles for the murder of Raghuvanshi.

According to Syiem, the SIT visited several places in Sohra during the day from one parking lot where the accused had parked their rented two-wheelers to Weisawdong where the murder was committed.

Chilling details of the murder emerged after recreation of the crime scene in which one policeman acted as Raghuvanshi.

“There were three blows. The first one was made by Vishal from the back while Sonam was in front of him. It was a major blow in which the accused used both hands. Then Anand made the second hit and the last blow was by Akash,” the SP said.

The hitmen also informed the SIT that they used two machetes, one of which was recovered.

The police personnel are combing the forest below the gorge with a metal detector to find out the second machete.

“Raja was taken by surprise and he died because of the blows,” Syiem said, dismissing reports that the fall into the gorge caused his death.

Although Kushwaha is the mastermind of the murder, he did not come to Meghalaya.

“He is an employee of the company run by Sonam’s family. His disappearance (from Indore) would have raised suspicion,” the SP said, adding that they had chosen Sohra for the crime by chance.

The hitmen and Sonam wanted to commit the murder at Nongriat, where the couple had checked in at a homestay, but could not do it since they failed to find a suitable spot to dispose of the body.

The SP said, at the crime scene re-enactment, Sonam expressed regret like any other criminal but he is yet to ascertain if there was remorse.

The entire crime scene was cordoned off since 9 am ahead of the arrival of the SIT and all the accused.

The newly married couple – Raghuvanshi and Sonam – went missing in the quaint hills of Sohra on May 23 before his highly decomposed body was recovered on June 2.

Sonam fled the state following the murder to reach Indore via Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and UP.

She, however, left behind her ‘mangalsutra’ and a ring in her trolley bag at a homestay in Sohra, leading the police to suspect her, police had said.

India