Meghalaya horror: How did a phone call from dhaba help police track down Sonam Raghuvanshi?

Sonam Raghuvanshi, a 24-year-old woman from Indore accused of plotting her husband Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, surrendered to the Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghazipur on Monday.

Another accused was arrested from Lalitpur district, PTI reported.

Sonam was presented before a local court for transit remand, after which a Meghalaya Police team, which arrived in the evening, was set to take her into custody.

The court proceedings continued till late in the night.

Earlier today, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang said that Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Indore whose body was discovered last week, was allegedly murdered by individuals hired by his wife, Sonam.

Police have arrested five suspects in connection with the case, including Sonam herself, Akash Rajput from Lalitpur, and two others from Indore.

The couple had gone missing on May 23 while on vacation in Sohra, East Khasi Hills. Raghuvanshi’s body was later recovered from a gorge near Weisawdong waterfalls on June 2, while Sonam, 24, remained untraceable until her arrest.

A dhaba employee told reporters that Sonam had asked for a phone to call her parents in Indore, which led to the Madhya Pradesh Police tracing her location.

Later, Uttar Pradesh Police was contacted, leading to her arrest.

At around 6.30 pm on Monday, a team of Meghalaya Police took Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre.

Although she was apprehended from the eatery, police said Sonam surrendered before the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district.

Earlier in the day, Govind, Sonam's brother, reached Ghazipur from Meghalaya.

"If she is guilty, she should be hanged. Whatever the government decides, we will accept it," he told reporters.

Asked if he had spoken to Sonam, Govind said, "I don't know anything as of now. I have no idea. I have not met her. I have not slept for 17 days... I was searching for her with the police in Meghalaya."

Akash Rajput was arrested from Chauki village in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district on Sunday night, SP Md Mustaque said. "Meghalaya Police is interrogating Rajput. Further legal action will be taken by the concerned state police," the SP said.

Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Nongrang said one person was picked up from Uttar Pradesh in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi's death while two others were nabbed from Indore by a special investigation team.

After their marriage on May 11, the Raghuvanshi couple left for Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon.

They reached Mawlakhiat village on May 22 on a rented scooter. On May 24, the scooter was found abandoned outside a cafe along the Shillong-Sohra road, following which a search for them was established.

(With inputs from PTI)