Judicial Custody for Accused in Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder Case

Court Decision on Judicial Custody

In Shillong, Meghalaya, a district and sessions court has placed Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha in judicial custody for 13 days related to the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. Superintendent of Police for East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem, confirmed that both individuals have been remanded to custody.

According to Assistant Public Prosecutor Tushar Chanda, the police did not request custody, leading the court to grant judicial custody instead. Chanda stated, "The court has remanded both the accused for 13 days of judicial custody. The police did not ask for custody; the Investigating Officer requested judicial custody, which the court approved."

Details of the Case

Earlier, the court had also sent three other suspects—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand—to 14 days of judicial custody. This follows the arrest of five individuals in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was on his honeymoon in Meghalaya. Among those arrested is his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, along with the other suspects.

Raja Raghuvanshi's remains were discovered in a gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji) on June 2. His wife was later located near a roadside dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. The couple, originally from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, had gone missing during their honeymoon trip. As part of the investigation, the Meghalaya Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) reconstructed the crime scene with the accused present.

Crime Scene Reconstruction

SP Vivek Syiem reported that the reconstruction was successful, providing a clearer understanding of the events. He noted that one additional machete used in the murder is still missing. The SIT retraced the steps of the accused, starting from where they parked their two-wheelers to the viewpoint where the incident occurred. They established that the first blow was delivered by Vishal, followed by Anand, and the final strike by Akash. Efforts are ongoing to recover the second weapon.

Syiem also revealed that Sonam and Vishal tampered with Raja's mobile phone post-murder. He explained, "We have determined the fate of Raja's mobile phone. Sonam damaged it, followed by Vishal. This sequence of events, including their departure, has been clarified. The victim was struck with the weapon, and after the first blow, Sonam distanced herself from the scene. The three suspects then disposed of the body."