Shillong, June 12: The alleged three contract killers involved in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi hired scooters from Shillong and also stayed in the city.
This was revealed to the interrogators of Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the accused, on Thursday.
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The elaborate interrogation of the accused started on Thursday after the court granted 8 days to the police for further investigation.
When asked, the DIG Eastern Range Davis Marak refused to comment on the place from where the scooters were hired and the hotel they stayed.
“Yes, Sonam has confessed that she was part of the conspiracy but the question about as to who is the mastermind that needs to be established as she is blaming Raj and whereas Raj is putting the blame on Sonam,” Marak said.
The members of SIT are interrogating the accused one by one.
Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha and three contract killers – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand Kurmi are being investigated in Sadar Police Station.
According to Marak, Sonam and Raj continue to be the prime suspects as prima facie they are allegedly having an affair.
“We have earlier given in our statements also that Sonam and Raj are the prime suspects and prime accused, so we stand by that. As of now, they continue to be the prime accused. However, who is the actual mastermind, who actually started this plot, that needs to be established at this stage,” he said.
When asked whether Sonam had promised to pay Rs 20 lakh to the contract killers, Marak said, “That is under investigation and this is what we are asking the accused persons at this stage so at this stage I will not be able to inform that.”
There were media reports that Sonam had made transactions to the killers.
“That we are establishing the fact through interrogations and based on their statements, we will be verifying whatever she says and then only we will be able to say how much or what kind of transaction has been taken place” he said.
Marak revealed that during interrogation, Sonam has denied hitting Raja with the murder weapon and from the statements of the accused persons, it appears that it was the hired contract killers, who had killed Raja on May 23, which they confirmed was being done at Weisawdong, the place from where his highly decomposed body was found on June 2.
Motive to be probed
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Marak said the both Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha admitted their involvement in the crime but who masterminded the crime and the motive are yet to be known.
Sonam had helped the contract killers to carry Raja’s body and dumped it at the gorge at Weisawdong, he said.
