'Weapon, cash seized; laptops may have been discarded': Shillong SP on Raja Raghuvanshi murder probe

Superintendent of Police Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor disclosed on Thursday that investigators have recovered crucial evidence in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, including firearms and cash seized from the accused.

 

"The preliminary interrogation statements revealed that a weapon was seized yesterday, including a gun with ammunition and Rs 50,000, which we recovered from the vehicle," Kharkongor told reporters as the investigation into the businessman's brutal killing continues to unfold.

 

The police chief's revelations came as three suspects arrested from Indore were remanded to six days of police custody by a Meghalaya court on charges of concealing evidence in the murder case.

 

Kharkongor emphasised that the breakthrough came through cooperation from the accused during questioning. "Raj and Akash disclosed a weapon in the bag, allowing us to proceed accordingly," he said, referring to two key suspects in the conspiracy.

 

The SP indicated that intensive interrogation of the suspects would continue during their custody period. "Since we have police custody, we will further interrogate more... Currently, we are planning to interrogate them to determine if we can gain more insight into this matter," he explained.

 

Central to the ongoing investigation is the recovery of electronic devices that may contain critical evidence. The suspects have claimed they disposed of laptops used in the crime, but Kharkongor expressed scepticism about their statements.

 

"We want to find out whether the materials, such as laptops, have been discarded or not. They claimed that the laptops had been thrown away, but we will interrogate them to discover exactly where they were disposed of or if they are still being kept somewhere," the superintendent stated.

 

The case involves the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who disappeared on May 23 during his honeymoon in Meghalaya with his wife Sonam, whom he had married on May 11. His mutilated body was discovered on June 2 in a deep gorge in the Sohra area.

 

The investigation has exposed a conspiracy involving Raghuvanshi's wife, Sonam, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and three hired killers. The three suspects now in custody face charges related to obstruction of justice and evidence tampering at an Indore apartment where Sonam and Kushwaha stayed after the murder.