Meghalaya Court Sends Three Others to Judicial Custody, Phones Still Missing
The high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case has taken a dramatic turn as key suspects are now under police custody. What initially appeared to be a localized crime has unfolded into a complex, multi-state investigation involving destroyed digital evidence, fake identities, and planned escape routes. On Thursday, the Shillong District Sessions Court handed over Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha to police for two days, while the remaining three accused have been sent to 14-day judicial custody.
With the Special Investigation Team (SIT) still active in Indore and multiple digital clues yet to be recovered, police believe deeper layers of conspiracy remain untapped. As fresh revelations emerge — including identity fraud and a coordinated escape attempt — this case is rapidly evolving into one of the most intricate and high-stakes murder investigations in the Northeast.
Police Custody for Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha in Murder Probe
In a major update in the sensational Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, the District Sessions Court of Shillong on Thursday sent Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha to 2-day police custody, while the remaining three accused – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand – have been sent to 14-day judicial custody.
#WATCH | Meghalaya: The District Sessions Court of Shillong sent Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha to 2-day police custody, and the other 3 accused - Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand to 14-day judicial custody in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2025
Advocate Tushar… pic.twitter.com/yvkWj2FCaa
According to advocate Tushar Chanda, who is closely following the case, the court granted the police’s request for custody of Sonam and Raj as further interrogation is critical for the ongoing investigation.
The case, which has gripped Meghalaya and parts of central India, has expanded across multiple states. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Madhya Pradesh police are jointly working to trace the digital and logistical trail of events that led to Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder. East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem stated that the investigating team is still operating in Indore, gathering crucial evidence. “We sought two-day remand because our team in Indore is still collecting inputs. Once we’re done questioning Sonam and Raj, we may seek custody for the other three as well,” he explained.
One of the most striking revelations so far is the destruction of key digital evidence. SP Syiem revealed that Sonam Raghuvanshi had three mobile phones, two of which she destroyed and threw away, possibly to mislead investigators. The third phone is yet to be recovered.
Fake Identity, Escape Attempts, and Taxi Trail Across States
In a critical breakthrough, police discovered that the name “Sanjay Verma”, saved in many call records, was actually a fictitious identity. The SIM number registered under that name was being used by none other than Raj Kushwaha, one of the primary suspects.
The call logs also indicate a high volume of communication between Raj and Sonam, strengthening suspicions of a premeditated conspiracy in the murder. Investigators believe the coordination between the two before and after the crime is a major lead.
The SIT and MP police have further tracked Sonam’s movements across Uttar Pradesh. She was reportedly trying to escape to Ballia, but her plan was derailed as the arranged local taxi refused to take her further due to lack of identity documents. She then contacted another driver, identified as Pramod Saha alias Piyush, who picked her up again and facilitated her onward journey. Her travel route was traced from Ballia to Ghazipur, adding more locations and witnesses to the growing complexity of the investigation.
#WATCH | Shillong, Meghalaya: On Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem says, "We sought 2-day police remand as our team is still in Indore. We need to develop more things. As we get more input from them, we can question these people. If needed, we will… https://t.co/FcQY4yCgbj pic.twitter.com/prFvFAwhEl
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2025
SP Syiem confirmed that more arrests and custodial requests are likely, depending on what the interrogation of Sonam and Raj reveals. The police are also attempting to recover digital communication records, including messages, call data, and cloud backups.
This case continues to unravel layers of deceit, destruction of evidence, fake identities, and interstate escape plans — making it one of the most intricate criminal investigations Meghalaya has seen in recent years.
