A significant update has emerged in the high-profile Raja Raghuwanshi murder case. A court in Shillong has granted bail to two co-accused, Lokendra Singh Tomar and Balbir Ahirwar. Lokendra owns the flat in Indore where Sonam stayed after the murder, while Balbir was the security guard of the same flat.
The duo is accused of tampering with evidence. According to police, Lokendra Tomar assisted Sonam in hiding after the murder, helping her avoid capture for some time.
Reportedly, the bail hearing was conducted via video conferencing. The defense argued that the co-accused were not directly involved in the murder but were charged with harboring the accused and concealing facts. The charges registered against them are bailable and suggest no direct role in the murder conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Police opposed the bail, but the court considered the defense arguments and granted it. However, strict conditions accompany their bail, which the accused must adhere to throughout the trial process.
Amidst this, the family of the deceased, Raja Raghuwanshi, continues to demand justice and a swift trial. There is no official comment from the police or investigative agencies about how the bail decision might influence the ongoing investigation. The next hearing is awaited, and more significant information regarding the case is expected to unfold in the coming days.
Notably, Indore-based transport businessman Raghuwanshi married Sonam on May 11 in Indore. The couple went to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20. Raghuwanshi went missing on May 23. His mutilated body was found on June 2, in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, East Khasi Hills District. On May 23, Raja was killed near the famous Wei Sawdong waterfall by three individuals. Despite this, Sonam remained at large.
Sonam, accused of conspiring to murder her husband with her alleged lover, surrendered to the police in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8. Meanwhile, four others were arrested from various locations in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, Meghalaya Police arrested five individuals in connection with the murder: Sonam, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and her three friends Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi. All five are currently in judicial custody in a Meghalaya prison. The SIT of Meghalaya Police is conducting an extensive investigation into this case.
