Meghalaya police on Monday said the wife of Raja Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore who was allegedly murdered while on honeymoon in the state, had been arrested.
The woman, who had gone untraceable for almost two weeks, is charged with plotting the murder of her husband by hiring contract killers within days of the couple getting married in Madhya Pradesh.
Director General of Police (DGP) I Nongrang affirmed, "Four individuals, including the wife, were arrested in relation to the murder of Indore man in Meghalaya."
Nongrang said that the female, Sonam by name, was at the forefront of conspiring against the murder of her husband. "The wife was allegedly involved in the murder of Indore man on honeymoon in Meghalaya. She had contracted killers," she explained.
Sonam surrendered before the police officials at Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Three other people suspected to be involved were also picked up in raids conducted overnight. "One was taken from UP, and another two accused persons were taken into custody from Indore by the SIT," said Nongrang.
She also added, "Sonam surrendered to the police station at Nandganj in UP, and was then arrested."
The police, under interrogation, allegedly confessed to having been hired by Sonam to kill her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. "The operation is ongoing in Madhya Pradesh to apprehend some more people who are involved in the crime," Nongrang added.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma commended the prompt action of the police in bringing meaningful progress in the case.
Within 7 days, the Meghalaya Police has made a significant breakthrough in the Raja murder case. 3 attackers who are from Madhya Pradesh have been apprehended, one female surrendered, and the operation continues to arrest one more attacker," Sangma tweeted on X.
On Friday, the distraught family of Raja, after hearing about the body being found in a gorge in Cherrapunji, contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.
Raja and his spouse Sonam had gone missing on their honeymoon tour to Meghalaya, the last time seen on May 23. A week later, on June 2, Raja's body was discovered at Sohrarim near Cherrapunji. Sonam was still missing until she surrendered in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking with ANI a week ago, Raja's brother Vipul Raghuvanshi questioned the investigation that was being conducted: "We have sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking for a CBI investigation and handed it over at the office of the commissioner. We wish the PM and Chief Minister would provide us with support, and a CBI investigation should be ordered into the issue. It would be able to bring justice to Raja and make it easier to locate Sonam. The manner in which the Meghalaya police are conducting this case, they will not be able to bring justice to Raja."
More information regarding the couple's last movements was revealed by a local guide. Tour operator Albert Pde remembered seeing Raja and Sonam on May 23 in the Sohra area with three unknown men.
Pde informed PTI that he was present when the group was climbing more than 3,000 steps from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat at about 10 a.m. that morning. He identified the couple from the day before, when he had invited them to go along with him to Nongriat. They had refused his invitation and instead hired another guide.
"The four men were moving in front and the woman behind. The four men were speaking Hindi, but I could not hear what they were talking about, because I know only Khasi and English," Pde remembered.
He said the duo had overnighted on May 22 at Shipara Homestay after they engaged the services of a guide named Bha Wansai, and returned on the next day in the absence of a guide. "I arrived in Mawlakhiat, and their scooter was not there," Pde alleged.
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