The investigation into the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya last month has taken a shocking turn, with police revealing that Sonam Raghuvanshi's cousin allegedly facilitated the payment to the hitmen hired for the crime. According to police sources, Jitendra Raghuvanshi, Sonam's cousin brother, is now under scrutiny for his potential involvement in the murder plot that has sent shockwaves throughout the nation.
Law enforcement officials investigating the case have discovered that Jitendra Raghuvanshi's UPI (Unified Payments Interface) account was used to make the initial payment to the three hitmen – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi – who were allegedly contracted by Sonam Raghuvanshi to kill her husband. The payment was reportedly made on May 23, the very day Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
While five individuals have already been apprehended in connection with the case, the emergence of Jitendra Raghuvanshi's name has added a new layer of complexity to the investigation. Authorities are currently trying to determine whether Jitendra was aware of the purpose of the payment he facilitated and whether he played a more active role in the conspiracy. According to police, Jitendra is involved in the family business, primarily overseen by Sonam, and is responsible for managing expenses. "We are trying to find out if he was aware of the reason behind the payment," one of the investigating officers stated.
Sonam's brother, Govind, identified Jitendra as their maternal cousin and a junior employee within their family enterprise. He also revealed that Sonam's UPI account was registered under Jitendra's name, though he did not clarify the reason for this arrangement. This revelation has raised suspicions about potential hawala (informal fund transfer) links and has brought the family's business operations under increased scrutiny.
The tragic saga began when Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam, who got married on May 11, embarked on their honeymoon to Meghalaya. The couple's families, who were previously unacquainted, had connected through a matrimonial application while searching for suitable partners for their children. However, their marital bliss was short-lived, as Raja was murdered on May 23.
Initial reports described the case as a "missing couple" situation after Raja and Sonam disappeared during their honeymoon. However, the investigation soon uncovered a sinister plot, revealing that Sonam was allegedly in love with Raj Kushwaha, who also worked in her family business as an accountant. Driven by this affair, Sonam allegedly conspired with Raj Kushwaha to hire hitmen to eliminate her husband.
According to authorities, Sonam had offered the hitmen a sum of Rs 20 lakh to carry out the murder. Following the crime, Sonam was apprehended in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and subsequently surrendered to the police. The three alleged hitmen and Raj Kushwaha have also been arrested.
Adding another disturbing detail to the case, authorities claim that Sonam was present when the hitmen murdered Raja Raghuvanshi and "watched her husband die." Some reports suggest that Sonam was so determined to kill Raja that she even planned to push him off a mountain if the hired killers failed to accomplish the task.
As the investigation progresses, authorities are determined to uncover the full extent of Jitendra Raghuvanshi's involvement and bring all those responsible for Raja Raghuvanshi's murder to justice.
