The Meghalaya Police on Saturday filed a detailed 790-page chargesheet in the sensational murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was found dead during his honeymoon in May. The report, submitted before a Sohra court, names five principal accused and lays bare what investigators describe as a “chilling conspiracy” hatched by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has formally charged Raja’s wife, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and three hired assailants—Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi—with murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. The accused have been booked under Sections 103(1), 238(a), and 61(2) of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which replaced the Indian Penal Code. These sections correspond to murder, disappearance of evidence, and criminal conspiracy, respectively.
The chargesheet provides a clear and chilling timeline of the events. According to investigators, Sonam and Kushwaha allegedly began plotting to eliminate Raja just days after his wedding on May 11. The murder, which took place near the Wei Sawdong Falls in Sohra, was the fourth attempt on his life. After the killing, the body was dumped into a gorge where it was recovered on June 2.
All five main accused are currently in judicial custody in Shillong. The case is now pending before the Sessions Court. A police officer speaking to the media on Sunday stated that the duration of the trial is uncertain as it depends on the availability of witnesses and evidence. A supplementary chargesheet is expected to be filed against three other co-accused who are currently out on bail for allegedly destroying evidence.
Meanwhile, Raja’s brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, welcomed the chargesheet but demanded the death penalty for all accused. “Sonam and all the others accused should face severe punishment. I demand that Sonam, Raj Kushwaha, and all the others accused get a death sentence,” he told reporters. He also alleged that Sonam’s brother, who had initially promised to support the victim’s family, is now in contact with his sister in jail.