'Missing wife' arrested for hiring contract killers to murder husband on Meghalaya honeymoon

Meghalaya Police have arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi for allegedly hiring three men to kill her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon. The couple, originally from Indore, had travelled to Meghalaya and were reported missing on May 23. On June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a gorge at Sohrarim near Cherrapunji. Sonam, missing since then, surrendered at Nandganj police station in Uttar Pradesh and was arrested.

Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang confirmed the arrest of four individuals in connection with the case, including the wife. “Four persons, including the wife, were arrested in connection with the Indore man's murder in Meghalaya,” she stated. According to her, one of the accused was picked up from Uttar Pradesh, while two others were arrested in Indore during overnight raids by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The operation is ongoing to apprehend more individuals involved.

Footage from CCTV at the homestay where the couple stayed showed Raja and Sonam wearing black jackets and carrying a white suitcase. On May 23, a tourist guide said he saw the couple with three other men in the Sohra area. The group was seen climbing over 3,000 steps from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat. The guide stated the men were speaking in Hindi, though he could not understand the conversation.

The family of Raja Raghuvanshi submitted a letter requesting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. His brother, Vipul Raghuvanshi, said they wanted the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to support their demand for a CBI probe, stating it would help ensure justice. They submitted the request at the commissioner’s office.

Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, stated that a major breakthrough had been achieved within seven days of the body’s recovery. “Three assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, a female has surrendered, and the operation is still on to catch one more assailant,” he wrote. Further investigation is ongoing in Madhya Pradesh to locate remaining suspects.