Wife ‘surrenders’, 3 others arrested: How police cracked Meghalaya honeymoon murder case; timeline of key events | India News
NEW DELHI: In a significant breakthrough in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, police have arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi, the missing wife of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, along with three alleged contract killers in connection with the murder.The case, which initially appeared to be a missing persons investigation, has now unravelled into a carefully orchestrated murder plot.
What led to her arrest
The case took an unexpected turn when Sonam Raghuvanshi was found at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road in Uttar Pradesh. According to UP ADG Law and Order Amitabh Yash, “Sonam Raghuvanshi, Govindnagar Khadsa, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, aged about 24 years, was found in the night at Kashi Dhaba situated on the Varanasi Ghazipur main road. She was sent to Sadar Hospital for initial treatment and then kept in One Stop Centre.” Police have also arrested one Akash Kumar from the Mahrauni police station area in Lalitpur.Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma congratulated the state police for cracking the case that had shocked the nation.“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,” he posted on X.Cops in Ghazipur could not know whether Sonam reached Ghazipur by road or train. Teams from both Meghalaya and Indore police are expected to arrive in Ghazipur to continue the investigation and escort Sonam to Meghalaya.
What the Dhaba owner said
The owner of Kashi Dhaba in Ghazipur said that around 1 am Sonam had arrived at his outlet and sought his phone to call her brother. Though Dhaba owner could not recognise her, on seeing her condition, he alerted police.“It was about late last night, approximately at 1 AM when she came to the shop crying and asked to make a phone call. I told her to sit over there and then I called the police. The police came and took her with them. That’s all that happened,” the eatery owner said.
Conflicting claims
Conflicting statements from various parties have marked the case. Sonam’s father contested the police’s version of events, stating, “Why will my daughter do such a thing (kill her husband)? The Meghalaya Police is lying. My daughter reached Ghazipur on her own. She was not arrested in Meghalaya.”Raja’s brother Vipin also questioned the official narrative: “The police have not made any arrest, and she has not surrendered either – these are all rumors being spread. The DGP is saying she is the killer, but as of now, Sonam hasn’t even been questioned properly. Nothing has been officially said to her yet.”
Timeline of the events that transpired:
May 22: The couple reached Mawlakhiyat village and undertook the steep 3,000-step trek to Nongriat, known for its iconic living root bridges. They spent the night in a homestay and were last seen checking out the next morning.May 23: A search operation was launched after the family lost contact with the couple. According to police, the duo, after checking out of the homestay, proceeded to Mawlakhait village without a guide. An official told PTI that the couple’s mobile phones were last traced to Mawlakhait. The same day, their rented scooter was found abandoned near a cafe along the Shillong–Sohra road. Local villagers reported the matter to the police, after which, the cops mapped the area the duo had visited.May 27: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav reached out to his Meghalaya counterpart, Conrad Sangma, for assistance in locating the missing couple. Sangma assured Yadav that the Meghalaya police and administration were doing everything possible to trace them.June 02: The body of Raja Raghuvanshi was discovered in Meghalaya, while the search for his wife, Sonam, was still ongoing. A blood-stained machete and a raincoat resembling the one Sonam was seen placing in the scooter were also recovered from the scene.June 04: A woman’s white shirt, a strip of medicine, a part of the LCD screen of a mobile phone and a smartwatch were also seized at the spot, and a homicide case was registered.June 06: CCTV footage showed Raja and Sonam arriving at Manha Hotel in Saitsohpen, Sohra, on a scooter, carrying a small suitcase on May 23. After being unable to secure a room, they left the suitcase at the hotel and left the premises.June 09: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma confirmed that four persons, including Sonam Raghuvanshi, were arrested. He said the woman had surrendered to police. Later, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang said that Sonam was arrested in UP’s Ghazipur.
