Raja Raghuvanshi murder: Wife Sonam, 3 more held in Meghalaya honeymoon horror case — Who are they?

Days after Raja Raghuvanshi's dead body was recovered, his wife Sonam and four others have been booked for allegedly planning his murder, news agency PTI reported. The couple went missing during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. While Sonam and three others are arrested, the police are still searching for the fourth accused in the case.

Who are the four others accused with Sonam?

Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, shared details on the arrested individuals. 

 “The first person arrested is 19-year-old Akash Rajput, from Lalitpur. The second accused is Vishal Singh Chauhan, age 22 years, from Indore, the third is Raj Singh Kushwaha, age 21 years, from Indore,” ANI quoted Syiem. 

On Monday afternoon, the police arrested the fourth accused from Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh, he added.

 Speaking on Sonam's arrest, Superintendent Syiem said, “The third team is on its way to arrest Sonam Raghuvanshi... These people committed the crime on 23rd May and left soon after.”

The three accused were arrested in overnight raids, while Sonam surrendered before the police in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang told PTI. Among the three accused, one person was apprehended from Uttar Pradesh, while two others were arrested from Madhya Pradesh's Indore, the DGP said.

Sonam allegedly hired the arrested men to kill her husband, Nongrang added. "The operation is still continuing in Madhya Pradesh to catch some more persons involved in the crime," she said.

Earlier, Albert Pde, a tourist guide in Mawlakhiat, revealed that the couple were spotted with three men on May 23, the day when they went missing, the PTI report said.

Albert mentioned that he saw the couple climbing over 3,000 steps with three men, heading from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat at around 10 a.m. on May 23. He said that the three men with the couple were speaking in Hindi, suggesting that they were not from the region.

The guide recognised the couple as he offered them services on May 22 to climb down the living root bridge in Nongriat. However, the couple refused his services and hired another guide.

Sonam Raghuvanshi's arrest

Sonam Raghuvanshi informed her family members at around 3 am that she was present at the Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. She was arrested and sent to Sadar Hospital for initial treatment and then kept in the One Stop Centre in Ghazipur, ANI reported, citing ADG Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh, Amitabh Yash.

 "Meghalaya Police arrived in Indore to probe the case. Sonam Raghuvanshi will be handed over to Meghalaya Police upon their arrival in Ghazipur. UP Police has not yet questioned Sonam Raghuvanshi," it added.

CM Conrad K Sangma praises Meghalaya Police

Following the arrest of Sonam and others, Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma appreciated the state police for quick action.

In a post on X, Sangma wrote, “Within 7 days a major breakthrough has been achieved by the #meghalayapolice in the Raja murder case … 3 assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered and operation still on to catch 1 more assailant .. well done.”

Sangma's statement comes after he had assured a thorough probe and immediate action over the incident, while the families of Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi demanded a CBI probe.

Indore couple missing case

Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi, residents of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, checked into a homestay in Nongriat village, located in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, on May 22. After checking out from the homestay on May 23, the couple went missing. Subsequently, Raja's body was found in a gorge near Sohra.