Shillong, June 19: In a chilling twist to the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, police investigations have revealed that his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused, was in regular contact with her lover Raj Kushwaha — whom she had saved in her phone as “Sanjay Verma” — both before and after her marriage.

According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam made and received over 239 calls from the number in just 39 days.

The police confirmed that the so-called Sanjay Verma is, in fact, Raj Kushwaha, who worked as an accountant in the furniture sheet unit owned by Sonam’s family in Indore.

He is now identified as the co-conspirator and the mastermind behind the murder plan.

Police suspect that Sonam deliberately saved Raj’s number under a different name to avoid arousing suspicion. His mobile phone has remained switched off since the case unravelled.

Sonam’s brother, Govind, reacting to the revelations, stated, “I don’t know anything about Sanjay Verma. I just got to know that Sanjay’s name is also coming up.”

He further emphasised that the family has cut all ties with Sonam and stands with the victim’s family in their fight for justice.

The murder has sent shockwaves across the country. What initially appeared to be a case of a missing couple took a dark turn when the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was discovered in the forested terrain of Meghalaya, not far from Nongriat village, where the couple was last seen.

The two had checked out from a homestay on May 23, just 12 days after their wedding in Indore, only for Raja’s body to be recovered on June 2.

According to police, Sonam had a long-standing relationship with Raj even before her marriage. Despite the ongoing affair, she went ahead with the wedding and planned a honeymoon trip to the northeast.

But the trip was part of a sinister plot to eliminate Raja. Police investigations have revealed that Sonam hired three contract killers — Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi — to carry out the murder.

Her cousin, Jitendra Raghuvanshi, is said to have facilitated the first payment instalment to the hitmen.

After days of being untraceable, Sonam surfaced on June 8 in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district and surrendered at the Nandganj police station.

Her surrender came hours after the three hitmen were nabbed from different locations in Uttar Pradesh, Indore, and Sagar. Raj Kushwaha was arrested shortly after.

On June 11, during police interrogation, Sonam reportedly confessed to orchestrating the murder of her husband.

The murder, laced with deception and betrayal, has gripped national attention, particularly due to the elaborate planning and the disturbing involvement of multiple individuals close to the accused.

Govind, her brother, reiterated the family’s resolve to stand by Raja’s family.

“We have no relation with Sonam anymore. What she has done is beyond forgiveness. Our full support is with Raja’s family, and we will help them in their legal battle for justice,” he had said.

New Delhi, June 19: In a key step after the deadly Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has released new draft rules to tighten control over physical structures that may pose risk to aircraft safety.

The aircraft, en route from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick airport, had crashed into the B.J. Medical College Hostel shortly after take-off on June 12 and burst into a fireball, killing nearly all on board and several on the ground.

The draft, titled ‘Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025’, will come into force once published in the Official Gazette. The rules aim to give authorities the power to take prompt action against buildings and trees that exceed height limits in designated aerodrome zones.

The move is seen as a proactive step to prevent potential accidents caused by obstructions in flight paths.

Under the draft rules, any structure found exceeding the permissible height limits around notified aerodromes will receive a notice from the officer-in-charge.

Property owners must submit key details, including site plans and structural dimensions, within 60 days of receiving the notice. Non-compliance could trigger enforcement action, including demolition or trimming of the structure.

If the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or an authorised officer determines that the structure is in violation, an official order may be issued mandating demolition or height reduction.

Property owners will have up to 60 days to comply, with a possible second extension of another 60 days granted only on valid grounds.

According to the draft rules, officials will also be allowed to physically verify the site during daylight hours, after notifying the property owner. If the owner refuses to cooperate, the officer may proceed using available information and escalate the case to the DGCA.

The draft rules also outlined a clear appeals process, where property owners may challenge the demolition or trimming orders before the First or Second Appellate Officer by submitting the prescribed form, supporting documents, and a fee of Rs 1,000.

The rules further stated that only those who comply with official orders will be eligible for compensation under Section 22 of the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024. Any structures erected in violation of the rules after the notification date will not qualify for any compensation.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has invited objections and suggestions from the public within 20 days of the draft’s publication.

New Delhi, June 19: The first flight carrying 110 Indian citizens, including 90 students from Jammu and Kashmir, arrived in New Delhi after being successfully evacuated from Iran, on Thursday, amid the escalating military conflict in the Middle East.

All the Indian nationals were flown to Delhi on IndiGo flight 6E 9487.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, welcomed the evacuated students at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, media reported on Thursday.

India launched Operation Sindhu, a mission aimed at ensuring the safety and evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Wednesday evening that Indian students residing in Tehran were safely evacuated from the city through coordination by the Indian Embassy.

“Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy,” the Ministry said in their official statement.

The Indian students left Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, via a special flight at 14:55 IST on June 18, with their expected arrival in New Delhi during the early hours of June 19.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced through Twitter, “Operation Sindhu begins. India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on June 17.

This is part of the many steps that the Indian government has taken over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals stuck in Iran and called for help in view of the deteriorating situation due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Indian government said that it is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process.

“India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options,” the MEA said.

The MEA advised Indian nationals in Iran to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24×7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.