Locals look at a poster pasted on a wall paying homage to Raja Raghuvanshi in Sohra town of Meghalaya on June 12.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR
After the Meghalaya Police filed chargesheet in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, his family in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore demanded capital punishment for the prime accused and his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and the three hired hitmen.
Speaking to reporters, Raja’s brother Vipin Raghuvanshi said Sonam, Kushwaha and the other accused should get severe punishment. “Our only demand is that all five accused, including Sonam, Raj Kushwaha and others should get death sentence,” he said.
On Saturday, the Meghalaya Police filed a 790-page chargesheet in the Sohra subdivision court against the five accused, including Akash Singh Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi who had been allegedly hired to kill Raja, a businessman from Indore during his honeymoon with Sonam in the Northeastern State in May.
The five accused were charged with Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (causing disappearance of evidence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police of Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, said a supplementary chargesheet will be filed against three other men — Lokendra Tomar, Balvir Ahirwar alias Balla, and Silome James — who were later arrested from Madhya Pradesh for allegedly destroying evidence.
Satisfied with probe: family
Mr. Vipin Raghuvanshi said he is yet to see the chargesheet but expressed his satisfaction with Meghalaya Police’s investigation in the case. “I am yet to read the chargesheet. I am going to travel to Shillong on Monday and will appeal to get the chargesheet,” he said.
He, however, accused Sonam’s brother Govind of “betraying” the victim’s family. “He had earlier said that he will get Raja justice but now he his helping Sonam and other accused in the case,” Mr. Vipin said.
Raja and Sonam had reached Shillong on May 21 for their honeymoon, but were reported missing on May 26 from a homestay in Sohra. After days of extensive search involving various agencies and locals, Raja’s body was recovered from a deep gorge near the Weisawdong Falls on June 2.
On June 8 and 9, all five main accused, including Sonam who was initially presumed missing, were arrested from parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police.
According to the police, the three hitmen had carried out the killing in front of Sonam, who was in a relationship with Kushwaha, and the five accused had conspired to eliminate Raja during the honeymoon trip.
Published – September 06, 2025 07:30 pm IST
