logo
Meghalaya murder: Accused wife produced in Ghazipur court for transit remand

Meghalaya murder: Accused wife produced in Ghazipur court for transit remand

The Hindu2 days ago

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 (June 9, 2025), while another accused man was arrested from Lalitpur district, police said.
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.
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 Ms. Sonam.
Apart from Ms. 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.
Meanwhile, one of the persons arrested had taken people to the latter's funeral here, an eyewitness said on Monday.
'When Raja's body arrived here, Ms. Sonam's family, whose home is in Govind Nagar Kharcha area, had arranged four-five vehicles for people to attend the funeral. One of the other accused, Raj Singh Kushwaha was driving the four-wheeler in which I went, though we did not talk. Only after seeing his photograph in the media post his arrest, I recollected this episode,' said Lakshman Singh Rathore.
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. Ms. Sonam (24) had gone missing since then.
Ghazipur SP Iraz Raja said Ms. 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 Ms. 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 p.m. on Monday, a team of Meghalaya Police took Ms. Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre.
Although she was apprehended from the eatery, police said Ms. Sonam surrendered before the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district.
Earlier in the day, Govind, Ms. 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 Ms. Sonam, Mr. 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 (June 8, 2025) night, SP Md Mustaque said.
"Meghalaya Police is interrogating Mr. Rajput. Further legal action will be taken by the concerned State police," the SP said.
Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Ms. 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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘We had no option but to kill him', says Goldy Brar on Sidhu Moosewala murder
‘We had no option but to kill him', says Goldy Brar on Sidhu Moosewala murder

Indian Express

time18 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

‘We had no option but to kill him', says Goldy Brar on Sidhu Moosewala murder

Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar justified the killing of Sidhu Moosewala by claiming that the Punjabi singer 'had to face the consequences of his actions.' In a BBC documentary, it was revealed that Lawrence Bishnoi and Moosewala's relationship dated back a long time, and the dreaded gangster used to call the singer from jail, telling him he liked his music. 'In his arrogance, he (Moosewala) made some mistakes that could not be forgiven,' Brar told the BBC. 'We had no option but to kill him. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was either him or us. As simple as that,' he added. The BBC World Service released the documentary titled 'The Killing Call' on the killing of Moosewala, on YouTube in two parts Wednesday, which coincided with his birth anniversary. The documentary was released at 5 am Wednesday. The BBC was scheduled to screen the documentary in a cinema hall in Mumbai Wednesday evening. However, after the controversy, the BBC released it on YouTube. Moosewala's father, Balkaur Singh, had petitioned a court in Mansa to stop its release or screening. The Mansa court has listed the petition for a hearing Thursday. Meanwhile, three of his songs were also released on his official channel Wednesday. Balkaur also wrote to Maharashtra director general of police (DGP) to stop the screening. In the complaint filed with the Maharashtra DGP and Juhu Police Station in Mumbai, Balkaur said that the documentary was made without his permission, and it 'contained false content about his son's murder'. He added that the documentary could be an attempt to tarnish his son's legacy. He said that the documentary includes interviews with individuals named in the FIR related to his son's murder, which he believes could affect the ongoing case. Later in the evening, Balkaur told media persons that that release of the documentary is like derailing the ongoing investigation into the murder case. He said that two witnesses have already testified in the court and he would be the third witness to testify in the coming days.

Why Sonam Surrendered At A Dhaba; What Her Post-Murder Plan Was; Why Her Lover Never Reached Shillong: 8 Explosive Revelations
Why Sonam Surrendered At A Dhaba; What Her Post-Murder Plan Was; Why Her Lover Never Reached Shillong: 8 Explosive Revelations

India.com

time24 minutes ago

  • India.com

Why Sonam Surrendered At A Dhaba; What Her Post-Murder Plan Was; Why Her Lover Never Reached Shillong: 8 Explosive Revelations

Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya): What was supposed to be a picture-perfect honeymoon in the hills of Meghalaya turned into a premeditated murder plot so cold-blooded, it has left the country stunned. Eleven days after tying the knot, 29-year-old transport businessman Raja Raghuwanshi was found dead in a forest gorge near Shillong. His newlywed wife, Sonam Raghuwanshi, is now in custody as the prime suspect who allegedly orchestrated his killing with clinical precision. As layers of this twisted tale unravel, here are eight questions that piece together what really happened – from the conspiracy to the cover-up and the bizarre surrender that has raised even more eyebrows. 1. Why did Sonam want her husband killed? Behind the carefully staged wedding and social media smiles was a messy love triangle. Sonam, a 24-year-old HR executive from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly in a long-standing relationship with Raj Kushwaha, a former employee of her father's company. Despite the arranged marriage to Raja, Sonam reportedly told Raj she would 'remove' Raja from the picture so they could be together. Even before the wedding, Raja had sensed something was wrong. According to his mother, he had doubts after Sonam avoided meeting him and even considered calling the wedding off. But the marriage went ahead on May 11, 2025. Eleven days later, Raja was dead. 2. How did Sonam plan the murder? Shortly after the wedding, Sonam returned to her parental home and connected with Raj, who allegedly introduced her to three of his friends – Akash Rajput, Vishal Chauhan and Anand Kurmi. Together, they hatched a plan. Sonam bought two new SIM cards, one of which was passed on to Vishal. She handed over Rs 50,000 against cash allegedly to fund the operation. On May 20, Raj and the three men reached the railway station, but Raj himself never boarded the train. Instead, he gave the SIM card to Vishal and allegedly sent the trio to execute the plan. By May 23, Sonam and Raja had reached Shillong for their honeymoon. Under the pretext of a photo shoot, Sonam allegedly led Raja into the forested Korsha Hills. There, the hired men allegedly ambushed him. Vishal is said to have made the first strike. The group then allegedly dumped Raja's body into a ravine and walked away as if nothing had happened. 3. What clues led the police to Sonam and her co-conspirators? It was the small details that cracked the case: The 'fasting' lie: Sonam allegedly told her mother-in-law that she was fasting on May 23, but the guesthouse owner saw her enjoying a full meal alone. No honeymoon photos: Despite being on a romantic trip, not one picture of the couple appeared online. Only one post surfaced that day – a cryptic caption: 'Together for seven lifetimes.' The blood soaked jacket: A red-and-blue jacket worn by Sonam in CCTV footage was later recovered from the forest, stained with blood. Murder weapon: A hatchet-like blade, unusual for local use, was allegedly found near the crime scene. The police suspected outsider involvement. The guide's tip-off: A local guide reportedly confirmed seeing Sonam and Raja with three other men speaking Hindi – a clue that led the police to the suspects. 4. Why didn't Raj go to Shillong himself? There are two possibilities, say investigators. Either Raj wanted to keep his hands clean and avoid suspicion. He even attended Raja's funeral in Indore. Or he had a last-minute change of heart. His sister told the media that Raj cried uncontrollably after the cremation that suggests guilt. 5. How did Sonam travel all the way to Ghazipur after the murder? After the crime, Sonam allegedly returned to Indore via Siliguri. She reportedly stayed with Raj at his rented flat. A few days later, a hired driver dropped her in Varanasi. From there, she took a bus to Ghazipur, where she called her brother – eventually leading to her arrest on June 9. 6. Why did she surrender at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur? This move has baffled investigators and the public alike. Ghazipur happens to be where Raj Kushwaha's family originally hailed from before moving to Indore. Was Sonam seeking refuge or simply staging a 'dramatic surrender'? Locals claim she appeared calm and composed at the eatery, and one woman on the bus later told Raja's family that Sonam had pretended to be a helpless widow. 7. What was the couple's plan after the murder? Sonam allegedly wanted to spin the story as a robbery-gone-wrong. In Ghazipur, she told people that her husband was killed by robbers in Shillong, and she barely escaped with her life. In the police custody, she now claims she was kidnapped and drugged. The police believe Sonam and Raj hoped her 'widow' status would open the door for their eventual marriage, and even her strict father would then approve. 8. What happens next? The Ghazipur court has granted the Meghalaya Police a 72-hour transit remand for Sonam and the three suspected hired killers. While the exact charges and the main accused designation are still under wraps, the police are gathering watertight evidence before presenting them in the Shillong court. Meanwhile, Raja's family is not buying the widow act. 'She walked off that bus like she was going shopping,' his brother said. The family may also demand a deeper probe, possibly an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Sonam's family, on the other hand, insists she is innocent. They might move court for an independent inquiry.

Girl runs away to meet BF, his parents alert her family
Girl runs away to meet BF, his parents alert her family

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Girl runs away to meet BF, his parents alert her family

Nagpur: Acting responsibly, an Azamgarh-based family in Uttar Pradesh alerted the parents of a 17-year-old standard X student from Nagpur, who had landed up at their residence after falling in love with their son. The minor girl had befriended the youngster from Azamgarh on a social media platform, and developed a relationship over the last few months ago. Sources said that the Azamgarh youngster had sponsored the minor girl's ticket to take a bus to his hometown on June 4. After she reached Azamgarh, the youngster took her to his home and expressed his desire to marry her. The youngster's family, realising the girl was still a minor, immediately alerted her parents, who were already searching for her. An offence had also been registered at Old Kamptee police station following the family's complaint. Immediately afterwards, the Azamgarh family ensured the girl returned to the city by train on June 6. She was taken into custody by senior inspector Lalita Todase's team of the anti-human trafficking unit of the crime branch. After counselling, the girl was reunited with her family, and accordingly, the Old Kamptee police station was also informed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store