Honeymoon murder: Police arrest owner of Indore flat where Sonam stayed after fleeing Meghalaya

Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of conspiring with Raj Kushwaha, surrendered on June 8 before the police in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh.

Updated on: Jun 24, 2025, 15:50:17 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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The owner of a flat where Sonam Raghuvanshi, an accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon, stayed in Indore after fleeing from Meghalaya following the crime last month, has been detained in Gwalior, police officers aware of the matter said, adding that he will be handed over to Meghalaya Police.

So far, a total of eight people have been arrested, including Sonam, for the alleged murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. (PTI)

The development comes after two people, property dealer Shailam James and security guard Balwinder Ahirwar, were arrested between Saturday and Sunday for allegedly burning a bag containing ₹5 lakh, a pistol, and other incriminating items recovered from the flat owned by Tomar.

A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said that James informed them of Tomar’s instructions to destroy the bag.

“Police also found chats and call recordings between Tomar and James in this regard. James alleged that Tomar mounted pressure on him to destroy the bag.” the officer said.

“James led the SIT to the place where he had burned the bag. Forensic analysis of the ashes did not confirm the presence of currency, pistol and gold chain in the ashes recovered from the spot,” he added.

With this, a total of eight people have been arrested, including Sonam, her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha and three hitmen.

Raja was murdered by three men in Sohra on May 23 during his honeymoon trip. Sonam, accused of conspiring with Raj, surrendered on June 8 before the police in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh while four other accused were arrested from different locations in MP and UP.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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