Meghalaya murder: Sonam Raghuwanshi's parents claim Meghalaya Police making up stories - ‘We lost Raja, but ...'

Sonam Raghuwanshi

The sudden arrest of Sonam Raghuwanshi, who had gone missing after the mysterious death of her husband Raja during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, has left both families stunned. While police confirmed she had allegedly orchestrated the murder by hiring three men, the focus has now shifted to the grieving voices of the parents who are demanding justice – and answers.

In her first statement following her daughter’s arrest in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Sonam’s mother, Sangeeta Raghuwanshi, expressed both relief and heartbreak. Speaking to IANS, she said: “We are thankful that she has been found, but the pain still remains... Now we want to know who was behind Raja's murder. There's sorrow even though she has returned, we lost Raja..."

Just a day before the breakthrough in the case, Sangeeta in a conversation with ANI had publicly appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a CBI probe into her daughter’s disappearance. At the time, unaware of Sonam's alleged involvement in the crime, she believed her daughter was in danger.

Meanwhile, Sonam’s father, Devi Singh, reportedly reacted strongly after her arrest, accusing the Shillong police of mishandling the case. He alleged collusion between local authorities and unidentified individuals, claiming the narrative being built around his daughter was based on falsehoods.

“...My daughter is innocent. I have trust in my daughter. She cannot do this (kill her husband)... They got married with the consent of both families. The state (Meghalaya) Government has been lying from the beginning. My daughter came to a dhaba in Ghazipur last night and she called her brother...” Devi Singh was quoted as telling ANI.

He, too, has demanded a CBI investigation, saying only a central agency could uncover the complete truth without local interference.

Only 24 hours before her daughter was traced and arrested, Sangeeta had tearfully pleaded for help, stating that Meghalaya Police were not doing enough and that the search was being conducted as if Sonam were no longer alive.

Her tone has now shifted. While she welcomed Sonam’s return alive, she underlined the loss of her son-in-law and said the family wanted real answers – not just arrests.

“We are pained by Raja’s death. Now that Sonam has been found, we want to know the whole truth. Who did this and why?”

The case, which initially drew sympathy for the couple, took a darker turn once CCTV footage and local testimonies surfaced. Meghalaya Police said Sonam had allegedly conspired with three men to eliminate her husband. She was found at a dhaba in Ghazipur, with one of the accused, while the other two were caught in Indore.

Albert Pde, a local guide in Meghalaya had earlier informed police he saw the couple climbing up the steep trail of 3,000 steps towards Mawlakhiat with three Hindi-speaking men on May 23, just hours before Raja was murdered. The same guide had offered to escort the couple the previous day but was turned down. They were last seen at around 10 am by the guide, who spotted them walking with the three other men - believed to be tourists at the time.

The parents’ demands have now found echo in the political corridors. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging a CBI investigation. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, meanwhile, praised his state’s police for cracking the case swiftly.