Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case: Charges Framed Against Five Accused, Including Sonam and Raj

Indore: A local court in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district on Tuesday framed charges against five accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. Serious charges have been framed against Raja’s wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi in this highly publicized case. A case was registered against all the accused under sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (destruction of evidence), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the police, Raja Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, arrived in Shillong with his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi on May 21st. From there, the couple traveled to Sohra, a place famous for its valleys and waterfalls. But this beautiful trip ended tragically. The two were reported missing on May 26th. Following this, a massive search operation was launched by the local police, Special Operations Team, NDRF, SDRF, and local trekkers.

After several days of searching, Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was recovered from a deep ravine near Wei Sawdong Falls on June 2nd. Following the discovery of the body, a murder case was registered at the Sohra police station. During the investigation, police discovered that Sonam was in a relationship with a young man named Raj Kushwaha. They had conspired to eliminate Raja. They hired hitmen Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi from Madhya Pradesh.

Police claim that the entire incident took place in Sonam’s presence. Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered at their honeymoon spot. After the murder, the five accused fled the scene. An attempt was made to pass it off as an accident. However, the police investigation uncovered layers of evidence. Within a week of the investigation, the police arrested Sonam, her lover Raj Kushwaha, and the three hitmen. The police filed a 790-page charge sheet in the case.

On September 5, the charge sheet was filed in the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class of Sohra subdivision. The charge sheet mentions murder, conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. The police described it as a premeditated murder. Hearing the charge sheet on Tuesday, the court found that prima facie there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the five accused. However, all five accused have denied any involvement in the murder and have pleaded not guilty.

The police stated that they are preparing to file a second charge sheet in the case against three more individuals: Silom James, Lokendra Tomar, and Balbir Ahirwar. They were arrested for their alleged role in destroying evidence and providing assistance after the crime. With the charges framed in court, the trial in the murder case is expected to begin soon. This case raised questions across the country as to how a relationship turned into a murder plot under the pretext of a honeymoon.