A Meghalaya court has formally framed murder and conspiracy charges against five individuals, including the wife of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, in connection with his killing earlier this year.
The East Khasi Hills District Court held that sufficient evidence existed to proceed with the trial against the accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, her alleged partner Raj Kushwaha, and three others, Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi.
Charges were framed under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (disappearance of evidence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police had earlier submitted a 790-page chargesheet before the Sohra Sub-Division Judicial Magistrate First Class Court on 5 September.
According to the prosecution, there is ample preliminary evidence linking all five accused to the crime, paving the way for a full trial. The defence, however, has maintained their innocence throughout. Each of the accused has applied for bail five times, but all pleas have been rejected by lower courts.
Officials confirmed that a second chargesheet is being prepared against three additional suspects, Silom James, Lokendra Tomar, and Balbir Ahirwar — for allegedly destroying evidence connected to the case.
Also read: Raja Raghuvanshi murder film planned, family backs project
Honeymoon turns tragic
Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Indore, had travelled to Shillong with his wife Sonam on 21 May for their honeymoon. Two days later, he was reported missing.
Following a ten-day search by police and local rescue teams, his decomposed body was discovered on 2 June in a deep gorge, bearing multiple stab wounds.
Sonam, who had gone missing shortly after his disappearance, later surrendered in Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh.
Investigations by the Meghalaya Police, assisted by the Indore Crime Branch, led to the arrest of Raj, Akash, Anand, and Vishal. The inquiry revealed that Sonam was in a relationship with Raj Kushwaha, and together they allegedly conspired to kill Raja.
Police allege that Sonam lured her husband to a remote location under the guise of sightseeing, where Raj and his associates lay in wait. Raja was stabbed multiple times, and his body was dumped into the gorge.
A knife, suspected to be the murder weapon, was later recovered from the forested area where the killing occurred.
The case has drawn wide public attention in both Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh, as investigators prepare to bring the accused to trial in one of the most sensational inter-state murder cases of recent years.
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