A chilling new development has surfaced in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, with CCTV footage capturing the prime accused, Raj Kushwaha, at the victim’s residence during funeral preparations. The video, recorded on June 4, when Raja’s body was brought to Indore from Meghalaya, shows Kushwaha carrying a white shroud for the deceased and interacting with the victim’s family, raising questions about his audacity and involvement in the crime. The CCTV footage reveals Raj Kushwaha arriving at Raja Raghuvanshi’s home with a white cloth intended as a shroud for the body. He is seen handing it to another person before lingering outside the house.

 

The footage also shows him with garlands and flowers, reportedly arranged for Raja’s funeral. While Raja’s relatives gathered outside, Kushwaha is captured consoling Sonam Raghuvanshi’s father, Devi Singh, placing a hand on his shoulder and offering support. Disturbingly, he is seen speaking on the phone, leading police to suspect he was relaying real-time updates about the funeral, possibly to Sonam, who was in hiding in Indore at the time. Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Indore, was brutally murdered on May 23, during his honeymoon in Meghalaya’s Sohra region. His mutilated body was found in a gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls on June 2.

 

The Meghalaya Police arrested five individuals, including Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and his three friends Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi. Investigations revealed that Sonam, who married Raja on May 11, conspired with Kushwaha to eliminate her husband. The motive is believed to stem from Sonam’s reluctance to marry Raja, pressured by her father Devi Singh, and her ongoing relationship with Kushwaha, who worked as an accountant in her family’s furniture business. Raja’s brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, has accused Sonam and Kushwaha of misleading the police and demanded a CBI probe.

 

The family, grappling with grief, prepared Raja’s favourite dishes during his ‘tehrvi’ (13th-day ritual), seeking closure amid unanswered questions. Meanwhile, Kushwaha’s grandmother, Ram Lalli, aged 74, passed away due to a heart attack on June 18, reportedly overwhelmed by the case’s developments. The Meghalaya Police, stationed in Indore since June 17, are meticulously piecing together the conspiracy.

 

The recovery of the murder weapon and videos, coupled with the accused’s confessions, strengthens the case. However, questions about additional accomplices and the full extent of the plot persist. The CCTV footage of Kushwaha at the funeral has added a chilling dimension to the investigation, underscoring the calculated nature of the crime.