Guwahati lodge linked to murder: Trio’s stay preceded Meghalaya honeymoon tragedy

Three men accused of murdering businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya had stayed at Anand Lodge in Panbazar, Guwahati, before carrying out the crime, investigation reveals.

Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh, and Anand Kurmi checked into room number 32 at the lodge on May 19 at 8:30 pm, posing as students. The trio left for Shillong early the next morning at 5:30 am on May 20, just three days before the murder took place.

A Shillong court on Wednesday granted eight-day police custody to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the 24-year-old wife who allegedly orchestrated her husband's murder, along with her four accomplices. Police had sought 10 days of remand for all the accused.

"The court granted 8 days of police custody," said East Khasi Hills district SP Vivek Syiem. The special investigation team will use this time to reconstruct the crime scene in Sohra.

Sonam was arrested in Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, while her three hired killers were apprehended from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. She arrived at Guwahati airport on Tuesday midnight before being transported to Shillong.

The investigation, codenamed 'Operation Honeymoon', has uncovered evidence from the accused's homes in both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. According to police, Sonam had meticulously planned her escape route after the murder.

"Sonam took a local taxi from Mawkdok and then boarded a train from Guwahati. She kept changing trains on her way to Indore," SP Syiem explained. Her accomplices also used a tourist taxi to reach Guwahati station before boarding a train to Indore.

Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam, who got married on May 11 in Indore, had gone to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. The couple disappeared on May 23 after checking out of a homestay at Nongriat village. Raja's body was discovered in a gorge on June 2, identified through a distinctive tattoo on his right hand.