NEW DELHI: A local court in Meghalaya on Saturday remanded Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha to 13 days of judicial custody in the sensational murder case of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi, who was killed during his honeymoon in the northeastern state.The pair, along with three of Kushwaha’s friends: Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi, have been arrested in connection. All five accused are now behind bars, with Chauhan, Rajput, and Kurmi already in 14-day judicial custody since Thursday.A honeymoon that ended in horrorRaja Raghuvanshi, who hailed from Indore, married Sonam on May 11. The couple left for their honeymoon on May 20. Just three days later, Raja went missing in Meghalaya.His mutilated body was discovered nearly ten days later, on June 2, dumped in a gorge near a waterfall in the scenic Sohra region of East Khasi Hills.Following a state-wide manhunt, Sonam surrendered to police in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8. Raj Kushwaha and the other three accused were arrested from various locations across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A special investigation team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police is probing the high-profile case, which has gripped national attention.Family alleges conspiracy, demands narco testBack in Indore, the victim’s family has cast serious doubts on Sonam’s version of events and her cooperation with the investigation.“Sonam misled the investigators during her eight-day police custody and withheld key details about the murder,” said Raja’s elder brother, Sachin Raghuvanshi. “She must be remanded in police custody for a longer period for proper interrogation.”He demanded that all the accused be brought to Indore for a comprehensive probe to uncover the full extent of the alleged conspiracy. Sachin further called for narcoanalysis tests not just for Sonam, but also for her family and friends, suspecting a larger web of involvement.“It is not easy to plan such a massive conspiracy,” he said. “The motive behind my brother’s murder must be clearly established.”Mother’s anguish echoes nationwide outrageRaja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, overwhelmed with grief, questioned Sonam’s alleged role in the murder.“Why did Sonam get my son killed?” she asked. “She, her friends, and all those close to her must be interrogated. I won’t find peace until I hear the answer to this directly from Sonam’s mouth.”
