There’s a new name in the horrific murder of 29-year-old Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was murdered on his honeymoon in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. The investigators have now narrowed down their search to Sanjay Verma, who was unknown to the case until now, as the prime suspect after they found 119 calls between him and Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of Raja and one of the prime accused.
As per police, Sonam and Sanjay Verma were in continuous telephonic contact between March 1 and March 25, prior to and subsequent to Sonam’s marriage with Raja on May 11. The abrupt appearance of Verma has put a new spin on what is now referred to as a cold-blooded and premeditated murder. Police officials confirmed that Verma’s mobile phone is now turned off, and his location is not known.
This is what happened so far
May 11: Raja and Sonam wed in Indore.
May 21: Couple reaches Shillong, checks into Balaji Guest House.
May 22: They hire a scooty and go to Sohra.
May 23: Local guides see the couple around Nongriat village-Raja’s last known whereabouts alive.
May 24: Scooty discovered abandoned at Sohrarim.
June 2: Raja’s decomposed body found in a gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls.
June 7-8: Arrests are made. Sonam surrenders in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur.
Police say that Raja was brought to a secluded trekking location and beaten with a locally available machete (dao) by one of the three hired killers Vishal Singh Chauhan, purportedly employed by Raj Kushwaha, a 20-year-old accountant who worked for Sonam’s family.
The three assailants Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi are also charged with carrying out the killing in Sonam’s presence. Sonam is said to have run off when Raja started bleeding and crying but reappeared after he died from his wounds.
As part of SIT-led crime scene reconstruction, the five accused were also taken to various spots in Sohra and Nongriat. The second machete and bloodstained white shirt were also found from the gorge additional proof of the case.
Murder Motive and Premeditation
Meghalaya Police insist that the murder was well-planned, with the venue the remote Wei Sawdong Falls area chosen to guarantee there would be no witnesses. None of the accused persons were familiar with the area before, which assured that the murder was not spontaneous but engineered.
The police are convinced that Sonam not only orchestrated the murder but also prepared and arranged the murder and gave the go-ahead signal to start the attack and assisted in hiding the body afterward.
With the arrest of the main accused and the dramatic entry of Sanjay Verma, the case is still unfolding. The authorities are now trying to track Verma and ascertain his role or any role in the conspiracy.
The honeymoon murder case has captured public interest because of its brutality, betrayal in marriage, and an expanding network of suspects. Police confirm the case is still under investigation with more revelations to come soon.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
