Raja Raghuvanshi murder case: Indore landlord who sheltered Sonam arrested

The landlord was apprehended from Gwalior’s Gandhinagar area by a crime branch team acting on a request from Shillong’s Special Investigation Team.

Madhya Pradesh police on Monday detained Lokendra Tomar, the landlord of an Indore apartment where the prime accused in the murder of businessman Raja Raghuvanshi had allegedly hidden, marking another breakthrough in the high-profile case.

As reported by TOI, Tomar was apprehended from Gwalior’s Gandhinagar area by a crime branch team acting on a request from Shillong’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is leading the probe. The SIT had been camping in Indore after the murder sent shockwaves across the nation.

Vivek Siyem, Superintendent of Police (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya), confirmed that Tomar is accused of aiding in the "destruction and concealment of material evidence vital to the case." He added that a team had left Indore for Gwalior to formally arrest Tomar, who would then be produced before a court for transit remand, TOI reported.

Tomar had reportedly left Madhya Pradesh on June 16 for Uttarakhand before travelling to Gwalior on June 22. He is the owner of the Dewas Naka flat where Raja’s wife, Sonam, the main accused, stayed while evading arrest.

Earlier, the Shillong SIT arrested three individuals, including contractor Shilom James and building guard Balveer Ahirwar, for allegedly tampering with evidence. James, who leased the building from Tomar for Rs 3 lakh per month, reportedly told investigators that after Sonam’s arrest, Tomar pressured him to remove and burn a bag from the flat.

Police suspect the bag contained crucial evidence, including Raja and Sonam’s mobile phones. On Sunday, the SIT, along with Indore crime branch and forensic teams, took James to Hare Krishna Vihar Colony, where he allegedly burned the bag in a vacant plot. Charred remains were seized and will undergo forensic analysis to determine if SIM cards, electronic devices, or other items were destroyed, as per TOI.

Siyem stated that all three arrested accused - James, Ahirwar, and now Tomar - are likely to be brought to Shillong by Wednesday. James and Ahirwar were produced before a court on Sunday and remanded to seven days’ transit custody.