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A businessman in Indore revealed that Vishal Chauhan, accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, rented a flat from him a week after the crime. Raja was killed by his wife Sonam.
Four accused sitting together in police custody. (Image: CNN-News18)
A property management businessman in Indore claimed that one of the accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case had rented a flat from him a week after the crime.
The investigation, launched on May 23 after Raja’s disappearance in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, focused on his wife Sonam and her alleged accomplices: Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, Anand Kurmi, and Akash Rajput. Sonam was apprehended in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh.
Shilom James, a property management firm owner, said, “Vishal Chauhan met me on May 30 and rented a flat in Dewas Naka for `17,000 per month. He signed a contract and also gave a security deposit of `34,000. I handed over the keys to him, but I am not sure he or any of his companions came there.”
He said that the flat is locked and the keys are with its tenant. The building in which the flat is located is new and does not have CCTVs as yet. “I had informed the police about Chauhan renting this flat,” he added.
Raja and Sonam got married on May 11 and left for Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20.
According to the police, Raja’s murder was rooted in a relationship Sonam allegedly maintained before her wedding, as she told the cops that she was forced into the marriage.
Raja was killed near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra after Sonam and four others- Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi- lured him into a remote location and took turns attacking him before dumping his body into a gorge. The five accused have confessed to the murder, police said.
The police investigation revealed an earlier plan from February, where Sonam and Raj allegedly discussed ways to avoid the marriage. The plans included faking Sonam’s death in a river accident or murdering someone, burning the body on a scooter, and misrepresenting it as Sonam’s.
Police said that when these plans fell through, the group allegedly decided to wait until after the wedding and then murder Raja.
- Location :
Madhya Pradesh, India, India
- First Published:
