Shillong, July 4: A court here on Friday extended the judicial custody of Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha by another 14 days in connection with the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi.
On June 21 the court had remanded the two prime accused – Raja’s wife Sonam, and Raj to 13-day judicial custody which ended on Friday.
“The court extended the judicial custody of Sonam and Raj for another 14 more days. The hearing took place today via video conferencing,” Public Prosecutor Tushar Chanda told PTI.
Sonam and Raj accused of plotting and hiring hitmen to murder Raja Raghuvanshi were produced before the court via video conferencing from Shillong District Jail, where they have been lodged since their arrest.
Sonam and Raj, along with three others – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi – face charges of murder conspiracy, murder, and destruction of evidence in the crime that took place on May 23 near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra.
Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife went missing while honeymooning in Meghalaya’s Sohra area on May 23. His highly decomposed body was found in a gorge on June 2.
Investigations by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) revealed that Sonam had lured Raja to the remote location, where the three hired hitmen ambushed and hacked him to death with machetes.
In total, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case, including a property dealer, a flat owner, and a guard from Indore, who allegedly helped conceal evidence. (PTI)
