Raja Raghuvanshi murdered in 4th attempt after failed plots in Guwahati, Sohra –

In a chilling revelation, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem last night confirmed that Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered in the fourth attempt after three earlier plots failed. The investigation has unearthed a complex conspiracy stretching back to Indore, with lover Raj as the alleged mastermind and Sonam, Raja’s wife, being the partner. “Raja Raghuvanshi was killed in the fourth attempt,” said Syiem, noting that the first attempt was made in Guwahati, followed by two failed plots in Sohra, before he was ultimately killed at Weisawdong by his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and accomplices. “They wanted to get rid of him in various places. I want to tell you also that they wanted to get rid of Raja somewhere in Guwahati it did not materialized, they wanted to eliminate him in Nongriat but they did not find a place to dispose the body, they wanted to do it between Mawlakhiat and Weisawdong also when late Raja went to attend Nature’s call but that also didn’t fructify and finally they did it in Weisawdong,” the SP said. According to the SP, the murder was premeditated in Indore, with several disturbing ideas floated on how Sonam could “disappear.” “One instance was to make her get washed by a river, and another instance was to murder somebody, put her in a scooty, burn that person’s body, and claim that it’s Sonam’s. All these things didn’t fructify,” he revealed.
 
Syiem confirmed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) began its formal interrogation today. “This is the first day of the questioning,” he said, adding that Sonam was not only aware of the plot but was also a partner in it. “The mastermind of this is Raj, Sonam played along with this plan, and she was part of this plan,” Syiem stated. The plot was hatched by Raj and executed with the help of three others, one of whom is his cousin. “It was not kind of a contract killing, yes, the plan was to kill, but they did a favour to their friend Raj,” he added. The conspiracy unfolded during Raja and Sonam’s post-wedding visit to Kamakhya. The accused trio arrived in Guwahati on May 19 with an initial plan to eliminate Raja there. “Since it didn’t fructify there, Sonam made a plan to come to Shillong and Sohra, and that’s how these things were planned out,” said Syiem. The group met in Nongriat and travelled to Weisawdong, where the murder took place. “They met in Nongriat, and from Nongriat they came out together and on their way to Weisawdong, all of them were there inside the parking lot. All three, one by one, had hacked him, and she was there, and the body was thrown. This happened between 2:00 to 2:18 pm,” he revealed. “About 2:18 pm, they left that place,” the SP said. The SP also revealed Sonam Raghuvanshi’s escape plan. “The raincoat which Sonam was wearing, she had given it to Aakash, who had thrown his shirt, which had a blood spot. One of the scooties was driven by Sonam when they left Weisawdong, and when they reached AD points, Akash got down at AD point to throw the raincoat, which was given by Sonam, because it was blood-stained,” he said. When few days ago, when we recovered the raincoat, we were not very sure if it was stained with blood or any other material. But now we are confirmed that yes, it is blood, and we will be sending that to forensic.” “Thereafter this Aakash took over the scooty and Sonam became the pillion rider. Anand Kurmi drove the bike which Raja and Sonam had hired and left it in Sohrarim. From there on, just after Lad Mawphlang, we are trying to ascertain which place she boarded a taxi,” Syiem added. “Vicky, who is Vishal Chauhan, had given her the Burgha, which Raj had given to him. She wore this Burgha, came to the Police Bazar, and took a tourist taxi down to Guwahati. In Guwahati, she went to Lokhra ISBT, from ISBT she boarded a bus to Siliguri and in Siliguri changed buses she went to Patna. From Patna, she took a bus to Areraj, and from Areraj, took a train to Lucknow. From Lucknow, she took a bus to Indore,” he said. “There was one day when local media interviewed the tourist guide who had gone down, and the guide mentioned that there were three people, and it was on that day when these people came to know that three people had been profiled. Raj told Sonam that better to leave Indore and come out somewhere in Siliguri and resurface there as a victim of abduction,” the SP disclosed. “But it just so happened that on 8th June, when Sonam was leaving from Indore, the two operational teams here were in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and when the first arrest was made in UP, somehow Raj got this information that some people had been abducted. He was not sure who was abducted because our team and the UP team were in civilian dress. He came to know that some abduction had taken place, not too sure whether it was police or some other people, but panicked,” he said. “When he panicked, he told Sonam, wherever you are, call up your family, and say that you have just escaped from an abduction. That’s how this whole thing came to light,” Syiem concluded.