Indore, June 25 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder case, Meghalaya Police recovered a pistol from a drain in Indore, police sources told IANS on Wednesday.

They said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya Police have recovered a pistol from a drain located behind Industries House during a search in Indore.

Sources said that the recovered pistol was wrapped in a white plastic bag, which was dumped by the property broker Shilom James, who had arranged a flat on rent for Sonam Raghuvanshi after she had returned to Indore.

James, who was arrested by Meghalaya Police on Saturday from Dewas, reportedly had told the police that he had thrown Sonam’s pistol into a drain. Based on his revelation, Meghalaya Police, along with Indore police, carried out an extensive search and recovered the pistol.

Meghalaya Police suspected that Sonam and her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha had bought a pistol to shoot Raja Raghuvanshi. However, that plan could not be executed, Meghalaya Police had earlier stated.

Meghalaya SIT has been in Indore since June 17, while three more persons, who allegedly helped Sonam and Raj arrange a flat and hide some crucial evidence, were arrested between June 21 and June 23 from different places.

Three arrested persons were identified as Silom James (property broker), Lokendra Tomar (flat owner) and Balveer Ahirwar (a security guard).

According to police, James and Ahirwar have been accused of destroying a black trolley bag left behind by the prime conspirator, Sonam Raghuvanshi, at a rented flat in Indore.

Sonam and Raghuvanshi had married on May 11, they had left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20, and were reported missing on May 23 from Sohra town in East Khasi Hills district.

Raja’s decomposed body was found in a deep gorge on June 2, while his wife, earlier believed to be missing, was arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur on June 9.

The other four accused persons – Raj Kushwaha and his three friends were arrested from different parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

–IANS

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