A Shillong court has sent Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha, two of the five accused in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, to 13 days of judicial custody. The development was confirmed on Saturday by the East Khasi Hills police.
Police Decisions and Court Orders
According to Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, the police requested judicial remand rather than custody of the accused. Assistant Public Prosecutor Tushar Chanda added that the court agreed and remanded Sonam and Raj Kushwaha to judicial custody for 13 days. Earlier, the remaining three accused—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand—were already sent to 14-day judicial custody on Thursday.
The case involves the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, a recently married man who had come to Meghalaya with his wife, Sonam, for their honeymoon. On June 2, Raja's body was found in a ravine close to Sohra (Cherrapunji).
Investigation and Crime Scene Reconstruction
The Meghalaya Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been actively investigating the case. They recently reconstructed the entire crime scene in Sohra with the help of the accused. SP Vivek Syiem said this helped police understand exactly how the crime took place. “We now have a very clear picture,” he added.
According to the investigation, Raja was attacked with machetes—first by Vishal, then Anand, and finally by Akash. The accused allegedly threw his body into the gorge after the murder. Still missing is a second machete that is believed to have been used in the crime. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is currently trying to locate it.
Post-Crime Actions and Evidence Destruction
In order to conceal evidence, Sonam and Vishal destroyed Raja's cell phone after the murder, according to SP Syiem. The police have pieced together their movements and actions after the murder, including their attempt to flee the scene. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to gather evidence and recover missing items.
