In a case that has gripped national attention, the mysterious death of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya has taken a dramatic turn, with his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and three others accused of plotting the murder.
Now, as the investigation unfolds, Sonam’s family has denied her involvement claiming she is innocent. Her father, Devi Singh, has accused the Meghalaya Police of foul play and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case.
Raja’s body was recovered from a deep gorge in the Sohrarim area on June 2, over a week after the couple went missing on May 23. While three men were arrested in Madhya Pradesh, Sonam was found at a dhaba in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur and was taken into police custody.
My daugher is innocent: Sonam's father
Speaking to the media, Singh said, “My daughter is innocent. I have trust in my daughter. She cannot do this (kill her husband)... They got married with the consent of both families.” He further alleged that “The Meghalaya Government has been lying from the beginning... The Meghalaya Police is involved in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi.”
Calling the investigation misleading and politically compromised, Singh said, “The Meghalaya CM is lying regarding this case. A CBI inquiry should be done on him as well.” He urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a CBI probe and even claimed, “If CBI inquiry is done, officials of the Police Station in Meghalaya will be behind bars.”
Sonam located in Ghazipur, not arrested, says father
According to Singh, Sonam was not arrested in Meghalaya as reported by the state police, but instead surfaced on her own at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on the night of June 8.
“My daughter came to a dhaba in Ghazipur last night and she called her brother... Police went to the dhaba and took her from there. She reached Ghazipur on her own,” he stated, adding that he hasn’t been able to speak to her yet. Only Sonam’s brother, Govind, reportedly spoke to her briefly around 2 AM.
The case so far: Honeymoon turns horror
Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi, newlyweds from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, went missing on May 23 during their honeymoon in Meghalaya’s Sohra region. On June 2, Raja’s body was found in a gorge near Cherrapunji.
DGP I Nongrang said Sonam had allegedly conspired to have her husband killed, while three assailants, all from Madhya Prades, had been arrested. The operation to more accused in the case is underway.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma also praised the police’s efforts, posting on X, "Within 7 days a major breakthrough has been achieved by the #MeghalayaPolice in the Raja murder case. Three assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered and operation still on to catch one more assailant. Well done #MeghalayaPolice."
