Mangalsutra Helped Crack Honeymoon Murder: Senior Cop To NDTV

Murder accused Sonam left behind something which the Meghalaya Police found while searching the room of a homestay where the Indore couple stayed. This object gave the police investigation a big hint in which direction the case would go.

Before the couple left the homestay, she left her mangalsutra and a ring in the room, Deputy Inspector General DNR Marak told NDTV.

"In the room of the homestay, we found Sonam's mangalsutra and a ring in the suitcase, which gave us the first doubt. Why would a woman who recently got married leave her mangalsutra in a suitcase during their honeymoon?" Mr Marak said, referring to the ornament that symbolises marriage.

Sonam's husband Raja Raghuvanshi was allegedly murdered by her and three contract killers while the couple was on a honeymoon. Another accused and Indore resident, Raj Kushwaha, has been named as her lover who helped in plotting the killing.

"We did a very thorough, detailed investigation and the accused have admitted to their involvement," the police officer said.

On May 23, the contract killers were waiting in another homestay at Nongriat village, waiting for Sonam to make her move. She took Raja out from their homestay under the pretext of taking some scenic photos, the police officer said, and stopped their scooty at a deserted place.

"She walked a bit forward pretending to click photos. The contract killers then came from behind and killed Raja," he said, adding the killers were riding two scootys.

Sonam sat with one contract killer on a scooty, while the other two killers took the second scooty, the police officer said. They took Raja's body to a place called Mawlakhiat and dumped the body there.

"The other accused have said Sonam also helped them in throwing the body into the gorge," Mr Marak told NDTV.

The police officer said Raja and Sonam had two mobile phones each, of which only one has been recovered and a search is on for the missing three.

On the motive behind the murder, Mr Marak said investigation is going on and the full details will come later.

Raj Kushwaha, 20, who had just finished Class 12, worked as an accountant at a furniture sheet unit owned by Sonam's family in Indore.

Uma Raghuvanshi, the mother of Sonam's murdered husband, told NDTV that Sonam's family must have known about her affair with Raj.

"I don't want to accuse anyone of murder, but Sonam's mother must know about Raj before her marriage to my son," Uma told NDTV, and broke down. "I dialled Sonam one day on hearing she was fasting. I didn't know the person I was talking to would be my son's killer."

Chunni Devi, the mother of Raj, told NDTV that she is certain her son never had any relationship with Sonam, the daughter of his employer.

After their wedding on May 11 in Indore, Raja and Sonam went to Meghalaya for a honeymoon. They disappeared on May 23, hours after checking out of a homestay at Nongriat village, 20 km from where Raja's body was found on June 2.

Later, she surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur where she surrendered to the police. Three other accused - Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Anand Kurmi - were also arrested from UP and Madhya Pradesh. Raj Kushwaha was arrested later.