The Meghalaya Police, investigating the honeymoon murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, have made significant progress with the arrest of a property dealer and a security guard in Madhya Pradesh. These arrests bring the total number of individuals apprehended in connection with the case to seven.

The property dealer, identified as Silome James, was taken into custody on Saturday night from Mahalaxmi Nagar while allegedly attempting to flee to Bhopal. James is accused of concealing crucial evidence, specifically a bag belonging to Raja Raghuvanshi's wife, Sonam, who is the prime suspect in the murder conspiracy. Sonam had reportedly hidden the bag in a flat in Indore after the murder.

Following James's arrest, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police apprehended a security guard, Balla Ahirwar, from his village in the Ashok Nagar district of Madhya Pradesh early Sunday morning. Ahirwar was stationed at the property where Sonam had concealed the bag.

According to investigators, James had rented a flat in Indore's Dewas Naka area to Vishal Chauhan, one of the alleged hitmen involved in Raja Raghuvanshi's murder, on May 30. Sonam Raghuvanshi then used this flat as a hideout between May 30 and June 7, before fleeing to Uttar Pradesh.

After Sonam's departure, James allegedly used a duplicate key to enter the flat and remove the black trolley bag she had left behind. The bag purportedly contained vital evidence, including Sonam's laptop, approximately Rs 5 lakh in cash, jewelry, and a pistol allegedly procured by Raj Kushwah, Sonam's alleged lover and another key suspect, from arms suppliers in western Madhya Pradesh.

CCTV footage reportedly shows Ahirwar handing over the black bag to James, who then drove away with it in his car. Subsequent interrogation of both James and Ahirwar revealed that James had burned the bag behind his house in Indore with Ahirwar's assistance.

Police believe that the destruction of the bag represents a significant attempt to eliminate crucial evidence in the case. The bag's contents, particularly Sonam's laptop and the alleged murder weapon, could have provided valuable insights into the conspiracy and the individuals involved.

Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based transport businessman, married Sonam on May 11, and the couple embarked on a honeymoon trip to Meghalaya on May 20. Raghuvanshi was reported missing on May 23, and his mutilated body was discovered on June 2 in a deep gorge near a waterfall in the Sohra area of the East Khasi Hills district.

Sonam Raghuvanshi surrendered to police in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8. Prior to her surrender, she had been missing for 17 days. Investigations revealed that she had been hiding in the rented flat in Indore during that time.

In addition to Sonam, her alleged lover Raj Kushwah, and the property dealer and security guard, three other individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder: Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi, the alleged hired killers.