Sonam Raghuvanshi, the woman who is suspected to be involved in the murder of her husband, Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, "surrendered under pressure," the police said.
Sonam, who had reportedly gone missing after her husband's body was discovered in a gorge beneath the Weisawdong Falls parking lot in East Khasi Hills on June 2, was located and taken into custody from Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh. She surrendered at the Nandganj police station late Sunday night.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Dalton P Marak, stated, "Sonam surrendered under pressure last night, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to four. One accused remains missing. Sonam will be brought back to Meghalaya for court proceedings."
The police have so far arrested four individuals, including Sonam. Three others were apprehended from different states; one in Uttar Pradesh, and two in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.
According to the police, Sonam is accused of orchestrating her husband's killing by hiring contract killers. The case is being handled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which carried out simultaneous operations in multiple states to trace and apprehend the suspects.
Family Reacts
Sonam's family has strongly refuted the murder allegations. Her father, Devi Singh, maintains that his daughter is innocent and has called for an independent inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
"My daughter is innocent. I have trust in my daughter. She cannot do this (kill her husband)... They got married with the consent of both families. The state (Meghalaya) government has been lying from the beginning. My daughter came to a dhaba in Ghazipur last night and she called her brother...Police went to the dhaba, and she was taken from there. I have not been able to speak to my daughter. Why will my daughter do such a thing? The Meghalaya Police is lying. My daughter reached Ghazipur on her own. She was not arrested in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Police is making up stories. Let the CBI inquiry begin, all officers at the police station (in Meghalaya) will be behind bars," he said.
The sequence of events began on May 21, when the couple checked into Balaji Guest House in Shillong. On May 22, they rented a scooter on Keating Road and headed towards Cherrapunjee (Sohra), a popular hill destination. The same evening, they reached Mawlakhiat village and hired a local guide to trek to Shipara Homestay in Nongriat village-home to the famed double-decker living root bridges.
The homestay owner, Sianti Sohkhlet, confirmed the couple checked in around 5:30 pm, had dinner, and rested for the night. The next morning, they declined breakfast and checked out by 6:00 am on 23 May, saying they would manage the trek back on their own.
A tourist guide, Albert Pde, later told police that he spotted the couple ascending the steep 3,000-step trail toward Mawlakhiat around 10:00 am, accompanied by three unidentified men.
That was the last time anyone saw them together.
Timeline of the Investigation
May 23: The couple goes missing after checking out of Shipara Homestay.
May 24: Scooty abandoned by the couple is discovered at Sohrarim village.
May 25: Police identify the scooty as one rented by the couple from Indore.
June 2: Raja's decomposed body recovered from a gorge beneath Weisawdong Falls.
June 7: Police confirm three arrests in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
June 8: Sonam found at a dhaba in Ghazipur; surrenders at Nandganj police station.
Investigators later retrieved CCTV footage from various locations, including the couple's arrival in Shillong and their movements toward Cherrapunjee. GPS data from the scooty supported the theory that more than two individuals may have been with the couple during their journey.
A guide who interacted with the couple said Sonam had conversed with them mostly in English, and had appeared confident and in control of the travel plans.
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