Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Judicial custody for accused hitmen extended

A local court in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district has extended the judicial custody of three men accused of brutally murdering Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in May.

The accused – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi – were produced before the court via video conferencing from Shillong District Jail, where they have been lodged since their arrest. The court extended their judicial custody by 14 days.

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Raghuvanshi, 35, had travelled to Meghalaya with his wife Sonam for their honeymoon after the couple got married in Indore on May 11. He went missing on May 23 while visiting the picturesque Sohra region , a favoured destination for tourists in Meghalaya. His mutilated body was recovered from a deep gorge in the East Khasi Hills on June 2.

Investigators allege that Raghuvanshi was lured to his death by his wife Sonam, who was having an affair with a man named Raj Kushwaha. Both Sonam and Kushwaha were arrested in connection with the murder and are currently in judicial custody.

According to police sources, the murder was meticulously planned and carried out by the three hitmen from Madhya Pradesh, reportedly at the behest of the couple.

In a parallel investigation in Indore, three other men – a property dealer, the owner of a flat, and a security guard –have also been arrested. Authorities say the trio helped Sonam and Kushwaha cover their tracks after the murder by facilitating their stay and allegedly tampering with evidence at a flat in the city. They face charges related to obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence.