Murder Accused Sonam Raghuvanshi Brought to Patna, En Route to Shillong for Interrogation
Patna, 10th June 2025: In a major development in the murder case of Indore-based transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, Meghalaya Police reached Patna early Tuesday morning with his wife and prime accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi. She was arrested from a dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and is now being taken to Shillong on a three-day transit remand for further investigation.
A five-member team of Meghalaya Police brought Sonam to Patna via Buxar and kept her temporarily at Phulwari Sharif Police Station. She is scheduled to fly from Patna to Guwahati on a SpiceJet flight departing at 12:40 pm, after which she will be taken to Shillong by road.
Calm but Disoriented
According to sources, Sonam appeared calm during the journey but looked mentally exhausted. At the Phulwari Sharif Police Station, she was seen resting her head on the table, reportedly asleep, and had requested food.
She was transported in a private vehicle. Eyewitnesses and media personnel stationed outside the police station captured visuals of her inside the premises.
Escort Confusion on the Way
Security arrangements for the Meghalaya police team were coordinated with Bihar Police. However, a lapse occurred during the journey when the escort vehicles reportedly withdrew after crossing into rural Buxar. The Meghalaya Police convoy was briefly left without local support at the Dal Sagar toll plaza and had to return to Adarsh Nagar Police Station for assistance. Security was resumed about an hour later, and the journey toward Patna continued.
Sonam Was Missing for 17 Days
Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi had gone to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20 and were reported missing from Sohra in East Khasi Hills on May 23. On June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a gorge. The search for Sonam continued until June 9, when she was found disoriented at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, about 1,100 km away from the crime scene.
Sonam, wearing a black T-shirt and lower, appeared sleep-deprived and confused. “I don’t remember anything,” she reportedly told a woman police officer who questioned her. She was then placed under surveillance at a One Stop Center in Ghazipur.
More Arrests Made in the Case
In a parallel development, three more accused — Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, and Akash Rajput — were arrested from Indore on Monday. They were produced in court and remanded to Meghalaya Police custody for seven days. Another accused, Anand Kurmi, arrested from Bina, was expected to be produced in court on Tuesday morning before being flown to Shillong along with the others.
According to Indore Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotia, all four accused will be transported to Shillong by air on Tuesday.
