Meghalaya honeymoon horror: Accused wife produced in Ghazipur court for transit remand
Lucknow, An Indore-based woman accused of hiring men to get her husband killed while on honeymoon in Meghalaya surrendered before Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghazipur on Monday, while another accused man was arrested from Lalitpur district, police said.
Sonam Raghuvanshi , who has been accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, was produced before a local court in Ghazipur on Monday night for transit remand permission, following which she was expected to be taken into custody by a Meghalaya Police team that reached here in the evening.
The court proceedings continued till late in the night.
Earlier in the day, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang said Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based transport businessman whose body was found a week back in Meghalaya, was allegedly killed by men hired by his wife Sonam.
Apart from Sonam, police have arrested three men Akash Rajput from Lalitpur and two others from Indore in connection with the case.
A total of five persons have been arrested in the case so far.
Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife had gone missing while vacationing at Sohra in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on May 23.
Raghuvanshi's body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong waterfalls on June 2. Sonam had gone missing since then.
Ghazipur SP Iraz Raja said Sonam was arrested from 'Kashi Dhaba' on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. She was sent to the Sadar Hospital for treatment and then kept at a one-stop centre, which provides assistance to women in distress, including medical and legal aid.
A dhaba employee told reporters that Sonam had asked for a phone to call her parents in Indore, which led to the Madhya Pradesh Police tracing her location.
Later, Uttar Pradesh Police was contacted, leading to her arrest.
At around 6.30 pm on Monday, a team of Meghalaya Police took Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre.
Although she was apprehended from the eatery, police said Sonam surrendered before the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district.
Earlier in the day, Govind, Sonam's brother, reached Ghazipur from Meghalaya.
"If she is guilty, she should be hanged. Whatever the government decides, we will accept it," he told reporters.
Asked if he had spoken to Sonam, Govind said, "I don't know anything as of now. I have no idea. I have not met her. I have not slept for 17 days... I was searching for her with the police in Meghalaya."
Akash Rajput was arrested from Chauki village in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district on Sunday night, SP Md Mustaque said.
"Meghalaya Police is interrogating Rajput. Further legal action will be taken by the concerned state police," the SP said.
Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Nongrang said one person was picked up from Uttar Pradesh in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi's death while two others were nabbed from Indore by a special investigation team.
After their marriage on May 11, the Raghuvanshi couple left for Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon.
They reached Mawlakhiat village on May 22 on a rented scooter. On May 24, the scooter was found abandoned outside a cafe along the Shillong-Sohra road, following which a search for them was launched.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Meghalaya honeymoon horror: 4 days after wedding, Sonam came to parents' home to plot murder, Cops say
LUCKNOW/SHILLONG/INDORE: First, it was a case of missing honeymooners in Meghalaya. They might have lost their way on a trek, it was thought. On June 2, as Raja Raghuvanshi's body was found in a gorge, it was suspected to be a robbery gone wrong. A 'dao' (machete) and phone lay near his body, and a blood-stained raincoat found a few kilometres away. His gold ring and chain, it turned out, were missing. As cops dug deeper, the case took a chilling turn. Also read: 'Happy to marry whoever you choose,' Sonam had told father Police formed an SIT with SDRF, NDRF, and central and state intelligence units to crack what became a nationwide sensation. Both families demanded a CBI probe. Even after cops claimed to have cracked the case Monday and arrested Raghuvanshi's bride, Sonam, from a dhaba in UP, and four suspects, including her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, the stories kept coming. She initially told Ghazipur police that miscreants robbed and killed Raja near the falls, but refused to disclose where she had been or how she escaped. "I didn't kill my husband. They killed him for the jewellery," Sonam said, referring to the four arrested men. Those were Akash Rajput, 21, from Lalitpur (UP), Vishal Singh Chauhan, 22, and Kushwaha, 21, both from Indore, and Anand Kurmi, 23, from Satna in MP. Indore additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said Akash, Vishal and Raj were produced in court and sent on seven-day transit remand. Anand is being brought to Indore & will be presented in court Tuesday. Raj, suspected to be the prime co-conspirator, used to live near Sonam's home and worked as an accountant in Sonam's family business. He moved away a year ago but remained employed. Police claimed Sonam's family was against her relationship with Raj. Eventually, her marriage was arranged with Raja through a Kushwaha community network. Just four days after her wedding, Sonam returned to her parental home for a post-marriage ritual. She allegedly plotted her husband's murder with Raj during that visit. The plot, investigators alleged, was to eliminate him in the next few days so she could reunite with Raj. East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem alleged Sonam had been sending her location to Raj throughout the trip. Investigators believe the killers trailed the couple after they visited Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. Raj remained in Indore, while Akash, Vishal and Anand travelled by train to Assam, police alleged. "The murder weapon was purchased in Guwahati," an officer in Indore said. Sonam reportedly pushed Raja to extend their stay in Shillong - a move now seen as part of a premeditated plan. Tourist guide Albert Pde told investigators he saw the couple with three Hindi-speaking men on May 23 as they climbed 3,000 steps from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat. That detail was key - pointing to outsiders shadowing the honeymooners. "All the dots connected to indicate that there was prior planning," SP Syiem said. "We will confirm everything once the accused are interrogated together." Sonam's parents dismissed the allegations. Her father Devi Singh said his daughter is being "framed" by police.
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Meghalaya honeymoon horror: Accused wife produced in Ghazipur court for transit remand
Sonam Raghuvanshi (24), who has been accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, was produced before a local court in Ghazipur on Monday night for transit remand permission, following which she was expected to be taken into custody by a Meghalaya Police team that reached here in the evening. Lucknow, Jun 9 (PTI) An Indore-based woman accused of hiring men to get her husband killed while on honeymoon in Meghalaya surrendered before Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghazipur on Monday, while another accused man was arrested from Lalitpur district, police said. Earlier in the day, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang said Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based transport businessman whose body was found a week back in Meghalaya, was allegedly killed by men hired by his wife Sonam. Apart from Sonam, police have arrested three men — Akash Rajput from Lalitpur and two others from Indore — in connection with the case. A total of five persons have been arrested in the case so far. Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife had gone missing while vacationing at Sohra in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on May 23. Raghuvanshi's body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong waterfalls on June 2. Sonam (24) had gone missing since then. Ghazipur SP Iraz Raja said Sonam was arrested from 'Kashi Dhaba' on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. She was sent to the Sadar Hospital for treatment and then kept at a one-stop centre, which provides assistance to women in distress, including medical and legal aid. A dhaba employee told reporters that Sonam had asked for a phone to call her parents in Indore, which led to the Madhya Pradesh Police tracing her location. Later, Uttar Pradesh Police was contacted, leading to her arrest. At around 6.30 pm on Monday, a team of Meghalaya Police took Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre. Although she was apprehended from the eatery, police said Sonam surrendered before the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district. Earlier in the day, Govind, Sonam's brother, reached Ghazipur from Meghalaya. 'If she is guilty, she should be hanged. Whatever the government decides, we will accept it,' he told reporters. Asked if he had spoken to Sonam, Govind said, 'I don't know anything as of now. I have no idea. I have not met her. I have not slept for 17 days… I was searching for her with the police in Meghalaya.' Akash Rajput was arrested from Chauki village in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district on Sunday night, SP Md Mustaque said. 'Meghalaya Police is interrogating Rajput. Further legal action will be taken by the concerned state police,' the SP said. Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Nongrang said one person was picked up from Uttar Pradesh in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi's death while two others were nabbed from Indore by a special investigation team. After their marriage on May 11, the Raghuvanshi couple left for Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon. They reached Mawlakhiat village on May 22 on a rented scooter. On May 24, the scooter was found abandoned outside a cafe along the Shillong-Sohra road, following which a search for them was launched. PTI ABN COR KIS VN ARI ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Google Maps Clue, Sonam's Mysterious Return: Here's The Full Story Of Raja Raghuwanshi's Murder
New Delhi: Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Indore, and his wife Sonam had gone to Guwahati to offer prayers at Kamakhya temple. On May 21, they left for Shillong in Meghalaya. On May 23, Sonam spoke for the last time with Raja's mother, Uma. During the call, Uma felt Sonam was gasping for breath and asked if she was okay. After that, all contact with the family stopped. After about 11 days, Raja's body was found in a gorge, but Sonam was missing. While searching for Sonam, the first clue came from Google location data. Abandoned scooter and CCTV footage helped the investigation move forward. After days of searching, Raja's body was found. Seventeen days later, Sonam was found in suspicious condition near a dhaba in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Sonam is accused of hiring hitmen to kill her husband. But she claims she was kidnapped, and Raja was killed during a robbery. Here is the full story – from their departure from Indore, discovery of Raja's body to Sonam's recovery. Raja and Sonam married on May 11 in Indore. Raja ran a transport business there. They stayed home for about 10 days and then planned a honeymoon trip to Shillong in Meghalaya. On May 20, they travelled from Indore to Guwahati via Bengaluru and visited Kamakhya temple. On May 21, they reached Shillong and booked a hotel room. On May 22, they planned to visit Sohra but the hotel near the police station had no vacancy. They left their luggage and went for sightseeing on a double-decker bus with a guide. Sonam had booked the tickets and told Raja's mother it was a six-seven day trip. But nobody knows why Sonam did not book return tickets. Last Call Raises Alarm On May 23, Sonam spoke with Raja's mother for the last time. Uma sensed Sonam was struggling to breathe. Sonam ended the call saying she would call back later, but never did. That night, Uma felt uneasy. She prayed for their safety. Next morning, she called Raja but no one answered. Raja's elder brother, Sachin, at first thought it was a network issue. But when their phones stayed off from May 24, worry grew. Sonam's brother Govind and Raja's brother Vipin flew to Shillong to join the search. Govind used Google Maps to track their last known location using photos. This led to a rented scooter agency. The agency confirmed the couple rented an Activa and headed toward Osra Hill. The police said Raja and Sonam reached Mawlakhyat village on May 22. They rented a scooter near Sohra police station to visit the living root bridge in Nongriat village. They stayed one night in a homestay and checked out next day. On May 24, their scooter was found abandoned by a café near a gorge on the road from Shillong to Sohra. This area has a resort called Orsa, rumored to be a hideout for criminals. Massive Search Operation More than 50 people joined the search, including locals and village defense members. Heavy rain and fog in the valley made the search tough. On May 27, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav spoke to his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma. He instructed senior officials to stay in constant contact with Meghalaya authorities. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also informed by local leaders. On May 28, Indore MP Shankar Lalwani reached Shillong and met police officials. Search continued despite rain halts. On June 2, Raja's body was found in a deep gorge after 11 days. Postmortem revealed he was killed by a tree-cutting weapon. Sonam was still missing. On June 3, the police found a red and blue jacket with bloodstains near Mockma village while searching for Sonam with multiple forces, including the NDRF, the SDRF and SIT teams. On June 4, Raja's body was brought back to Indore and cremated. His brother Vipin demanded a CBI probe and accused Meghalaya police of trying to cover up the case. New CCTV Footage Emerges On June 5, the first CCTV footage showed Raja and Sonam at a Shillong hotel reception on May 22. They checked out and went to a hotel in Sisora and then headed to Mawlakhya village. A new CCTV clip released on June 6 showed them arriving at the hotel on a moped – the same one found abandoned by the police. Sonam can be seen removing her jacket in the footage. The blood-stained jacket found in the forest matches this one, making the footage crucial evidence. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav demanded a CBI investigation. On June 7, he spoke with Amit Shah and the Meghalaya CM to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. On June 8, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra for a CBI probe. Sonam Found After 17 Days in UP Sonam was found near a dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, after 17 days. Meghalaya police DG I Nongrang claimed she hired professional killers to murder Raja. However, Sonam's father denied these allegations and said his daughter is innocent. He accused the Meghalaya police of fabricating stories to trap her. Meanwhile, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma confirmed three attackers involved in the crime have been arrested. The tragic story is still unfolding, with many questions yet unanswered.
