- Sonam Raghuvanshi planned the couple's honeymoon trip to Meghalaya but skipped the return ticket
- Raja Raghuvanshi wore over Rs 10 lakh in gold jewellery during the trip at Sonam's request
- Uma Raghuvanshi demands a CBI investigation into the circumstances surrounding her son's murder
Sonam Raghuvanshi had made all the bookings, including travel and stay, for their honeymoon trip to Meghalaya - but did not book a return ticket, the murdered Indore-based businessman's mother said on Monday. According to Uma Raghuvanshi, Sonam may have also extended their trip to Shillong. However, Sonam did not provide any details of the trip to either of the families.
"Sonam booked the tickets for the trip, and she may have extended the trip to Shillong, as my son did not know about the region. Her mother told that they visited Shillong last year," the victim's mother said.
Officials said that the couple had left for their trip to the Northeastern state wearing all their gold jewellery. While Sonam went to the airport directly from her parents' house, Raja left his house wearing gold jewellery worth more than Rs 10 lakh, which included a diamond ring, a chain, and a bracelet.
When Raja's mother questioned him, he told her that Sonam wanted him to wear it.
"If Sonam is involved in the murder, then she should be hanged. The police did not even tell in the morning that Sonam had been found. A CBI investigation should take place. If Sonam has not done anything, why would she be accused? Sonam had good behaviour, she used to hug me," Ms Uma said.
She also questioned if Sonam had loved her son, why would she leave him to die.
"How is she safe? All people behind this should be strictly punished," she said.
Raja and Sonam, who got married on May 11, were visiting Cherrapunjee in the East Khasi Hills for their honeymoon when they went missing on May 23. The couple arrived in Nongriat a day earlier and were last spotted checking out of Balaji Homestay. A scooter that they had rented was found abandoned at Sohrarim a day after they went missing. Ten days later, Raja's body was found inside a deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang. A machete suspected to have been used to murder him was also recovered.
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On Saturday night, officials found Sonam in an unconscious state at a 'dhaba' in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. She was taken to the Ghazipur Medical College for treatment, where she surrendered before the police and was subsequently arrested.
The police have claimed that the victim's wife had an extramarital affair that allegedly drove her to hire contract killers to eliminate her husband. She orchestrated the murder in connivance with her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, and surrendered under pressure, they said.
Preliminary investigation also revealed that Sonam used to talk to Kushwaha often. Officials also found CCTVs in which three to four people from Madhya Pradesh were identified, who were the contract killers.
