Ghazipur, June 9 (IANS) In a chilling twist to the murder of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, it is being reported that his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, had an affair with a man named Raj Kushwaha.

Kushwaha has been identified as the alleged mastermind behind the murder, sources said on Monday. The revelation has intensified the ongoing investigation into the sensational case that has shocked the nation.

According to the sources, Raj Kushwaha, who was five years younger than Sonam and in a relationship with her prior to her marriage, conspired with her to eliminate Raja.

Call detail records reportedly revealed frequent communication between Raj and Sonam, which became a crucial lead in the joint operation by the Indore and Shillong police. Raj Kushwaha has been apprehended based on these findings.

Official confirmation was awaited as Meghalaya Police have said that updates will follow.

Meghalaya Police confirmed on Monday that Sonam had been arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, where she surrendered at Nandganj police station.

She is accused of planning her husband’s murder by hiring contract killers. Police said her surrender was the result of sustained pressure from the multi-state investigation.

The three individuals accused of executing the murder — Vicky Thakur, Anand, and Akash — were allegedly hired by Sonam and Raj Kushwaha.

Sources further disclosed that Sonam had deliberately chosen Meghalaya as the honeymoon destination and had only booked one-way tickets. The plan to kill Raja was premeditated.

During their visit, the couple went missing on May 23, prompting a search operation.

Ten days later, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang.

A machete suspected to be the murder weapon was recovered near the scene.

At the time, Sonam was also missing, leading to a multi-state manhunt.

In a telephone conversation with IANS, Meghalaya IGP Dalton P. Marak said, “Sonam surrendered under pressure last night, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to four. One accused remains absconding. Sonam will be brought back to Meghalaya for court proceedings.”

Uttar Pradesh ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said that Sonam was located at the Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road and taken to Sadar Hospital for medical examination. She is currently being held at the One Stop Centre in Ghazipur.

Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang stated that investigations are ongoing and that the arrested individuals are being interrogated for additional leads.

Coordinated raids are underway in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to track down the remaining accused.

The case, which initially appeared to be a missing person report, escalated rapidly following the discovery of Raja’s body.

Families of both Raja and Sonam had raised concerns about the handling of the case by Meghalaya police, demanding a CBI inquiry. They cited CCTV footage and GPS data from a rented scooty that allegedly showed the presence of three to four individuals with the couple — leads that they claim were initially overlooked by the authorities.

The Meghalaya Police have urged the media and public to allow the investigation to proceed without speculation and have assured that justice will be delivered.

–IANS

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