Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case: Meghalaya Court Frames Charges Against Five Accused

PTI, SHILLONG, OCT 29, 2025 :  A court in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district has framed charges against five individuals in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was allegedly hacked to death in May by three hitmen. Raghuvanshi, a businessman from Madhya Pradesh, had come to the state with his wife for their honeymoon.

The five accused are Raghuvanshi’s wife, Sonam, her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, and the three hitmen – Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi – who had reportedly been hired from Madhya Pradesh to kill the businessman. All of the accused have denied the allegations against them.

On Tuesday, the court formally framed charges under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (disappearance of evidence), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.

According to police, Raja Raghuvanshi, from Indore, and his wife, Sonam, traveled to Shillong on May 21 before heading to Sohra. On May 26, the couple was reported missing, prompting a massive search operation by the Sohra police, Special Operations Team, NDRF, SDRF, trekking groups, and locals.

After days of intensive searching, Raja's body was recovered on June 2 from a deep gorge near the famous Wei Sawdong Falls in Sohra. A case was subsequently registered at Sohra police station.

Investigations revealed that Sonam was in a relationship with Raj Kushwaha, and the two, along with the three hired assailants, allegedly conspired to murder Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon. The killing was reportedly carried out by the three hitmen in Sonam's presence, police said. Within a week of the investigation, the five accused, including Sonam, were arrested.

Police submitted a 790-page chargesheet to the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Sohra Sub-Division, on September 5.

During the framing of charges on Tuesday, the court observed that there is prima facie sufficient evidence to proceed against the five accused.