In a chilling development in the mysterious murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, police arrested his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi after she surrendered at Nandganj police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district.
Meghalaya Police confirmed that she had surrendered ‘under pressure’, and termed it a major breakthrough in the high-profile case.
Inspector General of Police, Meghalaya, Dalton P Marak told IANS that Sonam’s surrender has brought the total number of arrests in the case to four, with one accused still absconding.
Authorities will now bring Sonam to Meghalaya for further interrogation and court proceedings.
Uttar Pradesh ADG Amitabh Yash said police found Sonam at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway.
They took her for medical evaluation at Sadar Hospital, and is currently housed at the One Stop Centre.
While the Meghalaya Police allege that Sonam hired contract killers to murder her husband, her family strongly refutes the charges.
Her mother, Sangita Raghuvanshi, expressed sorrow but also a desire for clarity. “There is grief even though she has been found. We want to know who killed Raja,” she stated.
Sonam’s father, Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, boldly denied her involvement, accusing Meghalaya Police of framing her to hide their investigation lapses.
He firmly denied his daughter’s involvement in the crime and urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to uncover the truth.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma acknowledged the police breakthrough, posting on X, “Within 7 days a major breakthrough has been achieved by the Meghalaya Police 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.”
However, the public and the victim’s family have raised serious concerns about police handling of the case, pointing to GPS and CCTV evidence allegedly overlooked in the early investigation.
Raja and Sonam, newlyweds from Indore, arrived in Meghalaya on 23 May for their honeymoon.
Days later, police discovered Raja’s body in a gorge beneath the Weisawdong Parking Lot near Riat Arliang and recovered a machete nearby, believed to be the murder weapon.
Sonam went missing around the same time, prompting a multi-state search involving police from Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
The Meghalaya Police issued a detailed statement crediting the success of the case to inter-state coordination and its Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“Despite logistical challenges and public scrutiny, our officers remained committed to upholding the law,” the statement read.
Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang said the case is open and details will follow Sonam’s interrogation.
Families and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a CBI probe.
Allegations of negligence and mishandling continue to cloud the case, even as arrests mount and fresh leads emerge.
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