SHILLONG, June 19: The sensational murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi has taken a startling new turn as police have uncovered the real identity behind ‘Sanjay Verma’, a name that surfaced during the investigation into Raja’s murder, which occurred during what was supposed to be a honeymoon trip.
According to police sources, Sanjay Verma—whose name appeared prominently in call records retrieved from Sonam Raghuvanshi’s mobile phone—was, in fact, an alias used by Raj Kushwaha, Sonam’s alleged lover and now the suspected mastermind behind the murder plot. Investigators found that 119 calls were exchanged between Sonam and ‘Sanjay Verma’ from March 1 to 25, each lasting between 30 to 60 minutes.
Police believe Raj Kushwaha either obtained a SIM card under the fake identity of Sanjay Verma or used Truecaller to mask his real identity. While the motive behind this deception remains under investigation, police are examining whether it was a strategy to avoid arousing family suspicion or part of a calculated plan to execute Raja’s murder and mislead authorities.
Meanwhile, a team from Meghalaya Police, currently stationed in Indore, visited Sonam’s family home on Wednesday as part of their ongoing probe. During the visit, investigators closely inspected two suitcases—one blue, one red—believed to possibly contain Raja’s missing valuables, including gold and diamond jewellery, which have yet to be recovered.
The police team also questioned Sonam’s family members and made visits to the family’s plywood factory and the office of Sonam’s brother, Govind Raghuvanshi. Employees at both locations were interviewed as part of the widening investigation.
