Meghalaya honeymoon horror: Sonam Raghuvanshi sent to 72-hour transit remand

Lucknow: An Indore-based woman accused of hiring men to kill her husband while on honeymoon in Meghalaya was sent on transit remand at the request of Shillong Police, after she surrendered before Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghazipur on Monday.

Another accused was arrested from Lalitpur district.

Sonam Raghuvanshi (24), accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, was produced before a local court in Ghazipur on Monday night for transit remand permission. Following the court’s order for a 72-hour transit remand, she was taken into custody by a Meghalaya Police team that arrived in the evening.

The court proceedings continued late into the night.

Earlier in the day, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang said Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based transport businessman whose body was found a week ago in Meghalaya, was allegedly killed by men hired by his wife.

Apart from Sonam, police have arrested three men—Akash Rajput from Lalitpur and two others from Indore—in connection with the case.

A total of five people have been arrested so far.

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife went missing while vacationing at Sohra in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on May 23.

Raghuvanshi's body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong waterfalls on June 2. Sonam (24) had been missing since then.

Ghazipur SP Iraz Raja said Sonam was arrested from ‘Kashi Dhaba’ on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. She was sent to Sadar Hospital for treatment and then kept at a one-stop centre, which provides assistance to women in distress, including medical and legal aid.

A dhaba employee told reporters that Sonam had asked for a phone to call her parents in Indore, which led Madhya Pradesh Police to trace her location.

Later, Uttar Pradesh Police were contacted, leading to her arrest.

Around 6:30 pm on Monday, a team of Meghalaya Police took Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre.

Although she was apprehended at the eatery, police said Sonam surrendered before the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district.

Earlier in the day, Govind, Sonam's brother, reached Ghazipur from Meghalaya.

“If she is guilty, she should be hanged. Whatever the government decides, we will accept it,” he told reporters.

Asked if he had spoken to Sonam, Govind said, “I don't know anything as of now. I have no idea. I have not met her. I have not slept for 17 days... I was searching for her with the police in Meghalaya.”

Akash Rajput was arrested from Chauki village in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district on Sunday night, SP Md Mustaque said.

“Meghalaya Police is interrogating Rajput. Further legal action will be taken by the concerned state police,” the SP said.

Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Nongrang said one person was picked up from Uttar Pradesh in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi's death, while two others were nabbed from Indore by a special investigation team.

After their marriage on May 11, the Raghuvanshi couple left for Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon. They reached Mawlakhiat village on May 22 on a rented scooter. On May 24, the scooter was found abandoned outside a cafe along the Shillong-Sohra road, following which a search for them was launched.