Shillong, Sept 6: The Meghalaya Police has filed a 790-page chargesheet in the chilling murder case of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, naming his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and three accomplices for their roles in the crime that shocked the nation earlier this year.

The chargesheet was submitted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) before the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Sohra Sub-Division, East Khasi Hills. All five accused — Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, Anand Kurmi, and Vishal Singh Chauhan — are currently under judicial custody.

The accused face charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 103 (I) for murder, Section 238 (a) for disappearance of evidence, and Section 61 (2) for criminal conspiracy.

According to East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, a supplementary chargesheet will be filed once forensic reports are received for three more suspected accomplices: property dealer Silome James, building owner Lokendra Tomar, and security guard Balbir Ahirbar. The trio, previously arrested for allegedly helping conceal evidence and destroy proof, are currently out on bail.

The case, now infamously known as the “honeymoon horror,” began on May 23 when newlyweds Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi went missing during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Just hours after checking out from a homestay in the scenic Nongriat village, the couple disappeared. Raja’s body was later recovered on June 2, buried in a remote forest area.

Investigations revealed that Sonam had plotted her husband’s murder with the help of her long-time lover Raj Kushwaha, an accountant in her family’s furniture business. Despite knowing the affair, the family proceeded with the marriage on May 11, unaware of the sinister plan that lay ahead.

After days of being on the run, Sonam resurfaced in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8 and surrendered to local police. She confessed to the murder on June 11, leading to a wider investigation that included arrests in both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Her accomplices, Akash, Vishal, and Anand, were arrested from their respective hometowns, while Raj was apprehended later.

Following the revelation, Sonam’s brother Govind Raghuvanshi announced that the family had severed all ties with her. He expressed solidarity with the victim’s family and pledged support in their pursuit of justice.