‘Falsely Accused’: Raj Kushwaha’s Mother Defends Son in Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case

‘Falsely Accused’: The mother of Raj Kushwaha, one of the accused arrested in the sensational murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya, has claimed her son is innocent. Speaking to India Today TV, she alleged that the police were lying to cover up lapses in the investigation and insisted that her son had no role in the killing.

Raja Raghuvanshi, a businessman from Indore, had travelled to Meghalaya with his wife Sonam for what was meant to be their honeymoon. The couple went missing from the Sohra area in East Khasi Hills district on May 23. Nearly ten days later, Raja's body was recovered from a deep gorge on June 2.

The family consists of Raj’s mother and his three sisters, as his father passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My brother did not go anywhere... You can ask the people at his office. He used to go to his office…the godown daily,” Raj Kushwaha's sister told ANI.

"My son is innocent. He used to work at Sonam’s brother's place. There was no friendship with Sonam — they just spoke because of work. Police are lying to hide their failure. My son won’t kill anyone. He always helped others," said Khushwaha's mother, visibly emotional and in tears.

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She further claimed that her son was unwell on the day of his arrest. "He had a fever. I thought they were taking him to the hospital. I didn’t know they were going to arrest him," she said.

Kushwaha was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of Raja, during his honeymoon with his wife Sonam, who is also in police custody. Reports suggest that Kushwaha had an affair with Sonam.

“My only demand is that my brother should be released. He is not involved in the murder,” Kushwaha's sister told ANI. The accused's mother further appealed to the government to “prove him innocent”.

The Meghalaya Police arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, where she surrendered at the Nandganj police station in the early hours of Monday.

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Authorities have stated that Sonam orchestrated her husband’s murder by hiring contract killers during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Her surrender was reportedly prompted by consistent pressure from a coordinated multi-state investigation.

Along with Sonam and Raj Kushwaha, three others — Vishal Singh Chauhan, Anand, and Akash — are also accused of executing the murder plot.

The autopsy report of Raja Raghuvanshi indicated that he was hit twice with a sharp object on his head, officials at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) said.

"The autopsy report indicated there were two sharp cuts on the head of the deceased -- one from behind and one from the front," East Khasi Hills district SP Vivek Syiem told.

He said police have also seen the two cuts on his head during the inquest.

According to the officer, police have also registered a murder case under Sohra PS, after initial inquest.

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