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India Gazette
14 hours ago
- India Gazette
Meghalaya SIT team to reconstruct murder crime scene of Raja Raghuvanshi
Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], June 17 (ANI): Days after the heinous murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, the Meghalaya Special Investigation Team (SIT) said it is likely to reconstruct the crime scene of the murder. The murder scene is expected to be recreated by the SIT team at a parking lot in Sohra in the presence of the accused Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Akash, Vishal and Anand. 'We have recovered a sharp weapon which had been purchased by the accused from Guwahati to commit the murder,' a senior police official told ANI. East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem has said that efforts are underway to file the chargesheet against the accused within the stipulated time period. On June 15, the family members of the victim raised serious questions about the statement given by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged accomplices. As per Meghalaya Police, Sonam and four others murdered Raja. In response, a candle march was carried out in Indore, demanding justice and a deeper investigation into the case.. While speaking to ANI, Raja's brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, made a strong appeal for a narco test on the accused, stating that their behaviour during the probe raised doubts. 'The way Sonam and Raj are misleading the police is shocking. Once a narco test is done, it will be revealed how much Sonam is lying about it. How all the accused are lying indicates that they may know more about the murder... I cannot talk to Sonam's parents yet. Why haven't they made any statements through the media? For instance, Raj claims Sonam has been typing Rakhi to Govind and him for three years. Doesn't her mother know this? Police need to question her parents. Why have you all hidden this from the media and police?' he told ANI. Meanwhile, Raja's brother, Sachin Raghuvanshi, led the candle march in Indore, expressing the family's grief and their firm stand for justice. 'To get justice for Raja, I will go anywhere in the world... This candle march is organised so that Raja's soul may attain peace...' he said. Meghalaya BJP President Rikman G Momin also reacted to the case. He condemned those who tried to defame the state of Meghalaya in the wake of the murder. 'The blame has already been placed on our state, so those who are blaming have to come and apologise to our state. Meghalaya is a safe and tourist-friendly state... Everyone can come to Meghalaya, and we receive everyone as our brothers and sisters. There is no difference; everyone is Indian, and we are Indians. We will work together... I salute the Meghalaya police for cracking this case...' he said. According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam Raghuvanshi and four others were involved in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, who had gone missing earlier. (ANI)
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Time of India
From Indore to Meghalaya to UP — and back to Meghalaya: Sonam Raghuvanshi's journey to the crime scene
NEW DELHI: What began as a blissful honeymoon in the misty hills of Meghalaya has spiraled into one of the most chilling crime stories of the year — a tale of love, betrayal, and a murder that feels ripped straight from a Bollywood script. Some 20 days ago, Sonam Raghuvanshi was living a quiet life in Indore. Newly married, she set off with her husband Raja for what was supposed to be the start of a lifelong journey. But behind the smiles and scenic selfies was a sinister plot — one that ended with Raja's brutal killing in the northeast and his mutilated body found beside a machete in the forested hills of Meghalaya. The plot took a darker turn when Sonam resurfaced at a roadside dhaba in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, far from the hills where her husband's life ended. She called her family. She waited. And then, she surrendered. Now, Sonam is being brought back — not as a grieving widow, but as the prime accused in her husband's murder. Accompanying her are four others also in custody: Raj Kushwaha, the man alleged to be her lover and co-conspirator, and three contract killers said to have carried out the act. All five will be taken to the crime scene, where investigators hope to reconstruct the events that unfolded in those remote woods. Sonam Raghuvanshi's descent from newlywed to murder suspect now leads her back to the hills of Meghalaya. After surrendering at a dusty dhaba in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, the 26-year-old was held at a women's shelter until a team of Meghalaya Police arrived. On Tuesday, she was officially taken into transit custody from Bihar's Phulwari Sharif police station. Her next stop: Shillong, where the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, will be reconstructed with her as the central figure. But Sonam won't be alone. Three other accused — Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Singh Chauhan — had already been placed on seven-day transit remand on Monday. The fourth accused, Anand, was brought to Indore from Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. Indore additional DCP (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya confirmed that all four men, aged between 20 and 25, will be taken to Meghalaya for further questioning. 'Raj worked as an accountant in Sonam's office. Vishal and Anand are students. Akash is currently unemployed. None of them has a criminal record,' Dandotiya said. Police said Raja Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore, was allegedly murdered in Meghalaya by contract killers reportedly hired by his wife, Sonam. The couple had gone missing during their honeymoon, and Raja's body was later found in a forested area. According to the Meghalaya Special Investigation Team (SIT), post-mortem results revealed Raja suffered two serious head injuries. Investigators believe the murder was premeditated. The accused are expected to be taken to the crime scene as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are now working to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the murder. (With agency inputs)
