LUCKNOW: In a sensational murder case that spans Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Meghalaya, Sonam Raghuvanshi — the wife of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi — has been arrested for his murder from a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway in eastern UP.Police say she allegedly orchestrated her husband’s murder during their honeymoon in Meghalaya with the help of her paramour and hired killers.Sonam was located around 3am on Monday after she made a call to her family, informing them about her location at a roadside eatery.Her family alerted the Indore Police, who coordinated with their Uttar Pradesh counterparts.Ghazipur police picked her and took her for medical examination before sending her to a One-Stop Centre.“She will be handed over to Meghalaya Police, who are leading the investigation. UP Police have not interrogated her,” said ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash.Meghalaya DGP Idashisha Nongrang confirmed that three men had been arrested in overnight raids — one from Uttar Pradesh and two from Indore. All three have allegedly confessed to being hired by Sonam to murder her husband Raja.One of them, Akash Rajput (21), was arrested from Lalitpur district’s Mahrauni area. According to police, he was previously acquainted with co-accused Vishal Singh and Raj Kushwaha, and had traveled with them to Shillong.Raj Kushwaha, believed to be Sonam’s lover, and Vishal Singh Chauhan alias Vikki were arrested earlier by Indore Police. All three men had reportedly worked in a private firm registered in the name of Sonam’s brother, Gaurav Raghuvanshi, with Raj serving as the firm’s accountant.Police sources said Sonam has not revealed where she had been hiding all these days and only claimed to be “unwell.”Akash, who holds a BBA degree from Indore, is currently being questioned about his role and motive.Meanwhile, Sonam’s father Devi Singh has come out in her defense, insisting she is innocent and has been falsely implicated. “My daughter is innocent. We demand a CBI probe into the case to bring out the full truth,” he told reporters.The crime came to light after the couple — who had recently married — went missing on May 23 during their honeymoon in Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya. They were last seen checking out of a homestay in Nongriat. Their rented scooter was later found abandoned near Sohrarim.Ten days later, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge near the Weisawdong Falls in East Khasi Hills. A machete, suspected to be the murder weapon, was also recovered nearby. Sonam had remained untraceable until Monday.Adding to the intrigue, a local tourist guide claimed to have seen the couple with three men on May 23 while they were trekking up from Nongriat. He said he had earlier offered his services to the couple, but they had hired another guide.Police say the probe is still underway, and further arrests are likely.
