Meghalaya police seek 7-day transit remand for 3 more accused
Shillong, June 24:Three more persons arrested by Meghalaya police’s SIT from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the honeymoon murder case will be brought to Shillong on Thursday.
The persons arrested for destroying crucial evidence related to murder of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi at Sohra on May 23 will be further interrogated in Shillong, East Khasi Hills superintendent of police Vivek Syiem said on Tuesday.
One of them is Lokendra Singh Tomar, who owns the flat in Indore where prime accused Raja’s wife Sonam had taken shelter after fleeing from Sohra following the murder.
He was arrested on Monday from Gwalior for destruction and concealment of vital evidence.
Earlier, property dealer Silome James, who rented out the flat to another accused Vishal Singh Chauhan, and the apartment’s security guard Balia Ahirwar were also arrested for destruction of evidence.
“We have sought seven days transit remand for them,” Syiem said.
The SP said Sonam taking shelter in the flat in Indore only came to light after interrogation by the special investigation team (SIT).
However, when the police team went there on June 10, they found the place empty.
Syiem said police have evidence of involvement of three arrested persons in destroying vital evidence in the murder case.
Police have the proof of them taking out the box containing gold of Sonam and chain of Raja, he said.
Making it clear that the three arrested persons are not directly involved in the murder, the SP said, “The only possible reason I could see now is greed. Probably these people got greedy as accused got arrested.”
They must have thought of checking for possible cash and all that, not knowing police would trace the whole thing back, he said.
“Later realising that people will come and will be able to ascertain, these three people took off and from their actions, it shows that they are guilty and culpable,” he said.
The police already collected debri of burnt materials and await results of their forensic test.
“Probably it could be a phone. There is no sign of jewellery,” Syiem stated.
Further, the SP revealed that police have ascertained that Sonam and her lover Raj Singh Kushwaha were in a relationship and had their own companies and wanted to further their businesses.
“These are the only things which are apparently be in the interest of getting rid of Raja because they wanted to further their business… Nothing beyond this has come out,” he said.
The SP expressed confidence that police will be able to file chargesheet at the earliest.
On the demand for narco analysis, Syiem said he doesn’t see the need for such analysis at this stage.
“Narco analysis is actually banned by the Supreme Court. Narco test is not admissible in court. It will just give us an idea or a clue from there. When they have already admitted to the crime, we have done reconstruction, we have recorded the evidence at the place of occurrence, I don’t see why we should go for narco analysis at this stage,” he added.
