Shillong, Sep 5: Meghalaya police have filed a 790-page chargesheet on Friday in the court of the Judicial Magistrate first class, Sohra Sub Division in connection with the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya police had arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of Raja, and her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha besides Akash Rajput, Anand Kurmi and Vishal Singh Chauhan, for allegedly executing the murder plan masterminded by Sonam and Raj.
The accused have been charged under Sections 103(1), 238(a), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Indian Justice Code, 2023.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said a supplementary chargesheet will be submitted against the three other accused after the additional forensic reports are out.
The other co-accused are property dealer Silome James, Lokendra Tomar, the owner of the building where Sonam was hiding after the murder of Raja, and security guard Balbir Ahirbar.
James, Tomar and Ahirbar, arrested on charges of destruction and concealment of evidence in connection with the murder of Raja, are currently on bail.
The probe revealed that Sonam was in a relationship with Raj, who allegedly conspired with her and hired three assailants to murder Raja. “The murder was executed by Aakash Singh Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Aanand Kurmi in the presence of Sonam at Arliang Riat Kunongrim, Umblai near Wei Sawdong” Syiem said.
“After conducting a thorough investigation, including collecting and collating all evidences, it is conclusively (proven) that Smti Sonam Raja Raghuvanshi was in a relationship with Shri Raj Kushwaha and a criminal conspiracy was hatched by Raj Kushwaha along with Sonam and the three assailants to murder Raja Raghuvanshi under the pretext of a honeymoon to Sohra,” Syiem said.
Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11, 2025 and the couple came to Meghalaya on May 20. Three days later, he went missing, and his mutilated body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong waterfall in Sohra on June 2, 2025. This came after widespread search operations were initiated after the couple went “missing” while travelling in the area as part of their honeymoon. It was initially treated as a missing persons case, but turned into a murder investigation after Raja’s body was found with two sharp cuts on his head.
According to the police, Raja was first struck with a machete by Vishal Singh Chauhan. Sonam was allegedly present at the time and fled the scene when her husband began to bleed and scream, returning only after he had died from the multiple blows inflicted upon him. The second machete was discovered in the same gorge where Raja’s body was dumped. A white shirt, believed to belong to Akash Rajput and worn during the murder, was also found in the gorge.
The police said they also have evidence in the form of the recovered murder weapon, bloody clothing, CCTV footage of the couple, and testimonies of multiple people, including a guide who saw the accused together.
