Raja Raghuvanshi murder case: Meghalaya Police to file supplementary chargesheet naming 3 more

Shillong, Oct 30 (IANS) Meghalaya Police are set to file a supplementary chargesheet in the high-profile murder case of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, naming three additional individuals accused of destroying or concealing key evidence, officials confirmed on Thursday.

East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem said the supplementary chargesheet will name Silome James, Lokendra Singh Tomar, and Balbir Ahirwar as persons allegedly involved in tampering with crucial materials linked to the investigation.

“The upcoming chargesheet will not be extensive; it mainly pertains to the destruction of evidence. The main chargesheet has already been filed,” Syiem said.

Earlier, the police had submitted a comprehensive 790-page main chargesheet, copies of which were handed over to the legal aid defence counsel on October 28. The primary chargesheet names five key accused — Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, Anand Kurmi, and Akash Rajput — under sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence.

All the five accused are currently in judicial custody, and their bail plea, moved on October 17, was rejected by the court. Officials confirmed that none of the families of the accused have so far appointed private legal representatives, with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) providing legal aid as mandated under law. Copies of the chargesheet have already been shared with the court-appointed defence counsel.

Govind Raghuvanshi, brother of the prime accused Sonam Raghuvanshi, said the family has not yet decided whether to engage a private lawyer. “We will review the chargesheet and decide our next course of action. There has been no communication with Sonam since her arrest,” he said, denying any external influence on their decisions.

Sources added that the charges framed against the five main accused have been clearly explained to them following the formal filing of the main chargesheet. Police officials reiterated their commitment to ensuring accountability for all individuals involved, directly or indirectly, in the killing of Raja Raghuvanshi.

The murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, a young businessman from Indore, had sent shockwaves across Meghalaya earlier this year, exposing a complex web of alleged conspiracy, betrayal, and personal enmity. According to investigators, Raghuvanshi was killed following a series of personal and financial disputes.

The case gained widespread public attention due to the alleged involvement of his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, who has been named the prime accused in the case. Police have maintained that the evidence against the main accused is “watertight,” while further investigation into the destruction of key materials led to the identification of three additional suspects, who are now likely to be named in the supplementary chargesheet.

--IANS

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