Indore man's murder: Accused cried after victim's funeral, mother says

The mother of Raj Kushwaha, arrested for allegedly plotting the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi in cahoots with the latter's wife Sonam during the couple's honeymoon in Meghalaya, on Tuesday claimed her son was innocent and framed in the case. Speaking to media, Chunni Devi claimed her son cried inconsolably when he returned home after attending Raja's funeral.

Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly orchestrated the murder of her husband during their honeymoon in the scenic town of Sohra in Meghalaya, according to Meghalaya Police, who said Raja was killed by men allegedly hired by Sonam, who went 'missing' and surfaced in UP's Ghazipur where she surrendered at Nandganj police station after the arrest of three assailants — Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Raj Singh Kushwaha (21) — in overnight raids.

According to Indore Police, Kushwaha worked as an accountant at the furniture sheet unit owned by the Sonam's family in the Govind Nagar Kharcha area in Indore. Sonam herself looks after the family business.

Originally from Uttar Pradesh, the Kushwahas have been living in a small rented house in Indore with Raj, his mother, and three sisters. "My son is innocent. He has been framed. How can a 20-year-old boy commit such a big crime? He is the only breadwinner after my husband passed away," a sobbing Chunni Devi told PTI.

She claimed her son was distressed following the death of Raja Raghuvanshi and attended his funeral procession. "He was crying inconsolably when he came home. I tried to calm him down, saying everything would be fine and there was no use crying," Chunni Devi claimed, adding that her son had been working at the business establishment owned by Sonam's family for two years.

Kushwaha's younger sister Suhani also termed the allegations against her elder brother as false. She rejected reports that Sonam and her brother were in a romantic relationship. "My brother and Sonam shared only an employee-employer relationship. He calls Sonam 'didi', while she calls him 'bhaiya'," Suhani added.

According to police, Raj Kushwaha, accused of hiring hitmen to murder Raja, didn't travel to Meghalaya and stayed back in Indore to avoid suspicion. A viral video showed him comforting Sonam's father Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, who reached the house of Raja Raghuvanshi before the funeral.

Devi Singh had said his daughter was innocent and demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder of his son-in-law.

Kushwaha and three other accused — Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi — are currently in transit custody of Meghalaya Police. Prima facie, there is no previous criminal record against any of the four in local police stations, an official said, adding that they were well acquainted with each other.

After their wedding on 11 May in Indore, Raja and Sonam travelled to the northeastern state for their honeymoon. They disappeared on 23 May, hours after checking out of a homestay at Nongriat village, 20 km from where Raja's body was found on 2 June.

Raja's relatives identified the body through a distinctive tattoo on his right hand. A woman's white shirt, a medicine strip, part of a mobile phone's LCD screen, and a smartwatch were also seized at the spot, police had said.

Police also recovered a bloodstained machete (dao), which they believe was used in Raja’s murder.

A raincoat also believed to belong to the couple was recovered from Mawkma village, a few kilometres from the gorge where Raja's body was found.

Raja's autopsy report revealed that he was hit twice on the head with a sharp object.

Uttar Pradesh ADG (law and order) Amitabh Yash had said Sonam was found at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road.

Officials said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police is investigating the murder conspiracy. While Meghalaya Police maintain that Sonam plotted the murder, her father Devi Singh Raghuvanshi insisted she had been abducted and was falsely implicated.

"My daughter is 100 per cent innocent. Meghalaya Police is misleading the media and not conducting a proper investigation into the matter. The family has demanded a CBI probe, with Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav also writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a Central investigation," he said.

He had claimed that Kushwaha was being wrongly linked with Sonam. "Meghalaya Police are making false allegations against my daughter to save their skin. I will send a legal notice to Meghalaya Police," he said.