Honeymoon 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 Madhya Pradesh to ascertain if there is any financial motive behind the killing, an officer said on Tuesday, 17 June.

The police also brought all the accused in the murder — including Raghuvanshi’s wife Sonam — to Sohra (Cherrapunjee), around 65 km from Shillong, 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 the Sohra area in East Khasi Hills district on 23 May.

The businessman and his wife Sonam were on their honeymoon when he was allegedly killed by three hitmen — Vishal, Anand and Akash — sent by Sonam's alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha, who is also among the arrested.

“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,” according to district superintendent of police Vivek Syiem. “The SIT will be camping in Indore. They will ascertain the background and find out if there is any angle, other than the love triangle, to which the accused have already admitted.”

Director-general of police I. Nongrang, who is monitoring the development of this case closely, earlier said the SIT is looking at other possible angles to the murder of Raghuvanshi.

According to Syiem, the SIT visited several places in Sohra during the day, from a 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 a policeman acted as Raghuvanshi.

“There were three blows. The first one was delivered 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. Police personnel are combing the forest below the gorge with a metal detector to find out the second machete.