Meghalaya murder: Sonam claims she was drugged, kidnapped; police reject her claims

In a dramatic twist in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of the murdered victim, Raja Raghuvanshi, has denied all allegations of involvement in her husband's killing.

Arrested at a roadside dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Sonam claimed she had been kidnapped and drugged, and said that she has not murdered Raja.

The 24-year-old Indore resident was found at ‘Kashi Dhaba’ on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway, where she allegedly contacted her family, who informed the local police, leading to Sonam's arrest.

She was sent to the Sadar Hospital for treatment and then kept at a one-stop centre, which provides assistance to women in distress, including medical and legal aid.

Also Read: Indore man's murder in Meghalaya: Wife, 3 others arrested

Family backs Sonam

Sonam’s father Devi Singh Raghuvanshi said, "My daughter is innocent. She cannot do this (kill her husband). She came to a dhaba in Ghazipur last night and she called her brother and the police picked her up."

The family maintains that the couple married with full consent of both the families and were on a regular honeymoon trip.

According to media reports, staff at the one-stop centre in Ghazipur said that Sonam has denied the murder allegations. “After she woke up later in the afternoon, she claimed she had been kidnapped and insisted she did not kill anyone,” the staff said.

Also Read: Sonam Raghuvanshi's aide took people to her husband's funeral in Indore

Police's counterclaim

However, Meghalaya Police claimed that Sonam orchestrated the murder of her husband. Meghalaya's director general of police I Nongrang revealed the details of the shocking crime that triggered a manhunt across three states.

Police alleged that Sonam, in connivance with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, plotted Raja's murder and surrendered under pressure on June 8. Three alleged assailants — Raj Singh Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Chauhan — have already been arrested.

Raja's body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge near Weisawdong Falls in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya — ten days after the couple went missing on May 23.

Raja and Sonam, who got married on May 11 in Indore, went to Meghalaya on their honeymoon.

Also Read: Meghalaya honeymoon horror: Accused wife produced in Ghazipur court

Sonam's poor planning

The UP Police told the media that Sonam presented herself as a victim before the police, claiming she was "drugged" and brought to Ghazipur. She informed her family about this, knowing the police would eventually reach her, said the UP Police's Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash told NDTV.

According to the senior police officer, Sonam is a poor planner who lacked knowledge of police procedures and thought she could escape by posing as a victim, but she failed. This case is unique due to the extensive planning to avoid detection by taking the body to Meghalaya and dumping it in an inaccessible location. However, the plan failed," he added, said the report.

The UP police has not joined the probe, and the case is being investigated by Meghalaya Police. The senior UP police officer also said the woman, now a prime suspect in the case, came to Ghazipur alone, adding that "CCTV footage and other evidence are being examined, and the truth will soon emerge."

Also Read: Meghalaya honeymoon murder: What we know so far and some unanswered questions

A tangled plot

Vipul Raghuvanshi, Raja Raghuvanshi's brother said Raj was Sonam's employee, and they would speak on the phone a lot. "I've never seen Raj Kushwaha; I've just heard his name," he told ANI.

While he didn't accuse Sonam directly of the murder, he said she could be involved in the murder if Raj Kushwaha was involved.

According to media reports, Superintendent of Police (SP), Vivek Syiem, who cracked the case said that there is substantial evidence to implicate the victim's wife and her alleged partner, Raj Kushwaha.