Phone leak twist: Raja Raghuvanshi’s brother seeks CBI probe, blames Sonam’s entire family
Raja Raghuvanshi's brother claimed Sonam had been in contact with her family.
Vipin Raghuvanshi, brother of murdered Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case, alleging that a recently leaked phone conversation casts doubt on the role of Sonam Raghuvanshi’s entire family.
According to the Meghalaya Police, Raja was murdered by his wife Sonam, her lover Raj Kushwaha and three others during the couple's honeymoon in Shillong in May.
Vipin accused the Meghalaya Police of mishandling the investigation, particularly after multiple co-accused secured bail. “There must be lapses in the police investigation, which is why they were granted bail so quickly,” Live Hindustan quoted Vipin as saying on Friday. He was talking to reporters when he urged that the case be handed over to the CBI.
He based his request on a purported leaked audio recording that allegedly raised doubts of wider conspiracy. Sonam, who is currently in judicial custody, had been in contact with her family, Vipin claimed, reported Live Hindustan. The authenticity of the call recording has not been independently verified by Hindustan Times.
“The family claimed they had no communication with Sonam, but that turned out to be false. Sonam has spoken four or five times. I believe Sonam and Govind have been talking for the past four weeks. The entire family is in on it. They’ve hired a lawyer and are actively trying for bail. First Sonam betrayed Raja, and now her brother is betraying all of us,” Vipin Raghuvanshi alleged.
He also claimed a journalist recorded a police officer in Shillong confirming that Sonam had communicated with her family while in jail.
Even after Sonam was treated as one of the prime accused in the case, her brother Govind Raghuvanshi and Raja's family were seen together on multiple occasions, including Raja's last rites.
Meghalaya court grants bail Silome James
The Court of First Class Judicial Magistrate DKK Mihsill in Meghalaya recently granted bail to Silome James, one of the accused in the case. Advocate Devesh Sharma, who appeared on behalf of James, said, “The part of our argument was that we have no link in this case.”
James was arrested after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) recovered a gold chain belonging to Raja Raghuvanshi from his residence in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh.
Along with James, Lokendra Singh Tomar and Balbir Ahirwa were also arrested and later granted bail on July 13. They face charges of obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence at an Indore flat where Sonam and her lover Raj Kushwaha allegedly stayed after Raja’s murder.
Govind has also demanded capital punishment for Sonam. “She should be hanged if found guilty,” he had earlier said.
Meghalaya honeymoon horror
Raja Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11 and left for their honeymoon in Guwahati and Shillong on May 20. The couple was reported missing on May 23. After a prolonged search, Raja’s body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge in the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.
Sonam surrendered in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, days later. She, along with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three others—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi—has been accused of conspiring and executing the murder. All five are currently in judicial custody.
