Sonam confessed, blames Raj to be mastermind behind recent murder of Raja at Sohra: Meghalaya DIG

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 12, 2025

Sonam Raghuvanshi has confessed to be part of the conspiracy but is alleging her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha to be the “mastermind” behind the recent murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, at Sohra – a place known for its famous tourist spots.

“Yes, she (Sonam) has confessed that she was part of the conspiracy but the question about as to who is the mastermind that needs to be established as she is blaming Raj and whereas Raj is putting the blame on Sonam,” DIG (Eastern Range) Davis NR Marak said on Thursday while sharing details of the ongoing interrogation against the Sonam, Raj and three contract killers – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand Kurmi – by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after they were remanded to 8 days police custody by a court in Shillong. 

According to him, Sonam and Raj continues to be the prime suspect as prima facie they are allegedly having an affair.

“We have earlier given in our earlier statements also that Sonam and Raj are the prime suspect and prime accused, so we stand by that.

As of now, they continue to be the prime accused. However, who is the actual mastermind, who actually started this plot, that needs to be established at this stage,” he stated.

Whether Sonam had promised to pay Rs 20 lakh to the contract killers, Marak said, “That is under investigation and this is what we are asking the accused persons at this stage so at this stage I will not be able to inform that.”

If Sonam has made any transaction, he said, “That we are establishing the fact through interrogation and based on their statements, we will be verifying whatever she says and then only we will be able to say how much or what kind of transaction has been taken place.”

Marak further revealed that during interrogation, Sonam has denied hitting Raja with the murder weapon and from the statements of the accused persons, it appears that it was the hired contract killers, who had killed Raja (on May 23), which they confirmed was being done at Weisawdong, the place from where his highly decomposed body was found on June 2.

He also confirmed that Sonam had helped the contract killers to carry Raja’s body and dumped it at the gorge at Weisawdong.

“Yes, the statement of the accused persons, the contract killers, suggests that Sonam helped in throwing the body after Raja was killed, she had helped in lifting the body and throwing it to the gorge.”

Asked, the DIG further informed that all accused will be taken to Sohra for the reconstruction of the crime scene after completion of the interrogation.

“…as during interrogation we need to establish the facts. There is inconsistencies in the statements of the different accused persons and once there is clarity in the statements of all the accused persons then we will be taking them to the place for recreation of the crime scene,”he said.

Whether they conducted a recce of Weisawdong before executing the murder plan, Marak said, “As of now the accused persons have denied but that cannot be ruled out and these are matters for further investigation.”

To another question if police would seek permission from the court for using a lying detector during the ongoing interrogation against the accused, the DIG said, “First of all once they give their statements, we have to verify veracity of their statements. If they say we have done this or we have gone to x,y,z place we will have to physically go and verify whether their statement matches with the facts or not – that we will have to physically go and verify their statements.”

He further informed that the state police will be seeking assistance of Guwahati police and from other states if their assistance is required.

Further, Marak said all persons, who are directly involved in the killing of Raja has been arrested. 

“If there are any more accused persons that we will establish during the course of the investigation,” he added.

Investigation revealed that three scooties were hired from Shillong. The scooty used by Sonam and Raja was parked at Sohra Rim and it was seized by police.

Police are still investigating in regards to the other two scooties used by the contract killers to execute the crime.

“After committing the murder, it seems half way she went along with these accused persons upto Mawkdok and from there it appears the contract killers went ahead and Sonam proceeded to Guwahati and after that to Indore,” Marak said.

“It might be the contract killers or Sonam herself (who abandoned the scooty at Sohra Rim) because at that point of time there were three scooties and it appears they were together and they abandoned the scooty at Sohra Rim with the keys of the scooty, thereafter Sonam got on the scooty with the contract killers and left from there,”he added.