The Meghalaya Police on Saturday filed a 790-page chargesheet in connection with the murder of newlywed Raja Raghuvanshi, whose body was discovered in a deep gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji) earlier this year.
The chargesheet was submitted before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Sohra Sub-Division Court in Shillong.
The police have named Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Ashish Singh Rajput, and Aanand Kurmi as key accused in the case. They have been booked under sections 103(1), 238(a), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Authorities said the voluminous chargesheet also includes substantial material evidence and several enclosures to support the prosecution’s case.
Honeymoon Turns Tragic
According to the police, Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam, both residents of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, had traveled to Shillong on May 21, 2025, for their honeymoon and later proceeded to Sohra. On May 26, the couple was reported missing, prompting authorities to launch a large-scale search operation.
Multiple agencies, including the Sohra Police, Special Operations Team, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force, trekking groups, and villagers from nearby areas, joined the efforts.
After days of intensive search, Raja’s body was recovered on June 2, 2025, from a gorge at Arliang Riat Kunongrim, Umblai, near Wei Sawdong in Sohra. Subsequently, Sohra Police Station registered Case No. 07/2025 under multiple provisions of the BNS.
Wife Found Days Later In UP
While Raja’s death shocked the region, his wife Sonam remained untraceable for several days. Eventually, she was located near a roadside dhaba along the Varanasi–Ghazipur highway in Uttar Pradesh. Her sudden reappearance raised suspicions, placing her under the scanner of investigators.
SIT Reconstruction Of Crime Scene
As part of the probe, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya Police reconstructed the crime scene in Sohra. The exercise was carried out in the presence of key accused, including Sonam, to piece together the sequence of events leading to Raja’s death.
Police officials said the 790-page chargesheet encapsulates evidence collected during weeks of investigation, including witness statements, forensic details, and digital trails. Authorities believe the extensive documentation will help establish the conspiracy and roles of each accused.
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