• Source:JND
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Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder: In a new twist to the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, a property dealer in Indore has claimed that one of the accused rented a flat from him just days after the crime was committed in Meghalaya. According to Shilom James, a local property manager, Vishal Chauhan – one of the five accused approached him on May 30 and took a flat on rent for Rs 17,000 a month, less than a week after the brutal killing of Raja.

“Vishal Chauhan met me on May 30 and rented a flat in Dewas Naka for Rs 17,000 per month. He signed a contract and also gave a security deposit of Rs 34,000. I handed over the keys to him, but I am not sure he or any of his companions came there," said James. He added that the flat remains locked and that the building has no CCTV surveillance as it is newly constructed. “I had informed the police about Chauhan renting this flat," he noted.

Raja Raghuvanshi had married Sonam on May 11, and the couple travelled to Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon. Just three days later, Raja went missing in the East Khasi Hills district, prompting an investigation that soon turned into a murder probe.

According to police, the killing was premeditated and allegedly stemmed from Sonam’s ongoing relationship with one of the accused. She later told investigators that she had been forced into the marriage. Sonam and four men — Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi reportedly lured Raja to a remote area near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra, where they took turns attacking him before throwing his body into a gorge.

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All five accused have confessed to their involvement in the murder, police said.

Investigators also uncovered an earlier murder plot dating back to February. During that time, Sonam and Raj allegedly discussed ways to avoid the wedding, including faking her death in a river or killing someone else and burning the body on a scooter to pass it off as hers. When those plans failed, the group allegedly decided to go through with the wedding and murder Raja afterward.

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Sonam was eventually arrested from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, and the other accused were tracked down in different locations. The police are continuing their investigation and tracing the movements of the accused after the murder, including their use of rented properties like the one in Indore.