The ongoing investigation into the honeymoon murder of Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya has taken a new turn, with a Meghalaya court remanding Sonam Raghuvanshi, the victim's wife, and her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, to 13-day judicial custody. This development follows their initial arrest and subsequent police custody, as authorities continue to piece together the events leading to Raja's death.
Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based businessman, was found dead in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls on June 2nd, days after he and Sonam went missing during their honeymoon in Sohra, Meghalaya on May 23rd. The case gained national attention, prompting a special investigation team (SIT) to be formed to unravel the mystery surrounding his death.
Initially, suspicion fell on Sonam, who disappeared after her husband's death. She later surrendered to police in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 9th. Further investigation revealed a close relationship between Sonam and Raj Kushwaha, who worked as an accountant in Sonam's family's furniture sheet unit in Indore. Police investigations revealed that Sonam was in regular contact with Raj, whose name she had saved in her phone as "Sanjay Verma," before and after her marriage. According to authorities, Sonam made and received over 239 calls from Raj's number in just 39 days. This led investigators to believe that Raj was a co-conspirator and the mastermind behind the murder plan.
Prior to this latest remand, a court in Shillong had extended the police custody of Sonam and Raj by two days to allow further interrogation regarding specific details of the murder. Simultaneously, three other individuals implicated in the case – Vishal Chauhan, Anand Kurmi, and Akash Thakur – were remanded to 14-day judicial custody. These three are alleged to be the contract killers hired to carry out the murder.
Public Prosecutor T Chanda told reporters that all five individuals were presented before the sessions court after their previous eight-day police remand expired. They underwent medical checkups at a local government hospital before appearing before the judge.
East Khasi Hills district superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Syiem had previously stated that the extension of Sonam and Raj's police custody was necessary to delve deeper into the details of the crime. He mentioned that the police team was still in Indore, gathering more information and inputs that would be used to question the accused.
The police suspect that Sonam deliberately saved Raj's number under a different name to avoid any suspicion. His mobile phone has remained switched off since the developments pertaining to the case began unfolding.
With Sonam and Raj now in judicial custody, the SIT will continue its investigation, focusing on gathering further evidence and corroborating existing information. The 13-day judicial custody period will allow the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation without the immediate pressure of police remand, potentially leading to new revelations in this complex and tragic case. The focus remains on establishing the motive for the murder and the precise roles played by each of the accused in the meticulously planned crime.
