Investigations into the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya have revealed a crucial link to Anand Lodge in Guwahati’s Panbazar area. Police have confirmed that three of the accused stayed at the lodge shortly before the crime was committed.The trio—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh, and Anand Kurmi—checked into Room 32 of the lodge on May 19 at 8:30 pm, posing as students. They left for Shillong early the next morning, May 20, just three days before the alleged murder.
The case, dubbed “Operation Honeymoon”, took a sensational turn after Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, 24, was arrested for allegedly masterminding the murder. A court in Shillong on Wednesday granted eight-day police custody for Sonam and her accomplices, while police had sought ten. “We are reconstructing the crime scene in Sohra,” said East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem, confirming that Sonam was arrested in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and brought to Shillong via Guwahati airport.
According to police, Sonam carefully planned her movements post-crime. She travelled by local taxi from Mawkdok, boarded a train from Guwahati, and kept switching trains to reach Indore. Her co-accused followed a similar route, using a tourist taxi to Guwahati Railway Station. The couple had married on May 11 and travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. They were last seen checking out of a Nongriat homestay on May 23. Raja’s body was recovered from a gorge on June 2, and identified through a tattoo on his right hand.