- Prime accused in Meghalaya murder case granted bail.
- Victim’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, disowned by family.
Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the high-profile Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, has been disowned by her family, her elder brother said on Thursday, days after a court in the north-eastern state granted her bail.
Transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi went missing on May 23, last year, during his honeymoon, and his mutilated body was discovered on 2 June in a deep gorge near a waterfall in the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya. His wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, along with several others including her alleged boyfriend, was arrested in connection with the case.
Her elder brother, Govind Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based businessman, said the family has not appointed any lawyer to represent her. “I had no knowledge of Sonam’s bail plea. I came to know about it through the media. I have not engaged any lawyer for her,” he said, despite their father Devi Singh Raghuvanshi reportedly being present in Shillong to complete formalities for her release.
Responding to this, Govind claimed his father had travelled to Shillong only on “court orders” and had since returned. “We have left Sonam to her fate. Our family is clear that she will not be allowed to stay at our home,” he said.
His remarks come amid escalating tensions between the two families. After Sonam was granted bail, Raja’s elder brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, expressed fears for his safety, alleging threats from Sonam and her associates, and accusing her family of betrayal.
Govind said he was “speechless” over the allegations, adding that Raja’s family was free to pursue any legal recourse.
Notably, after Sonam’s arrest, Govind had visited Raja’s residence on 11 June 2025 and expressed grief, even embracing the victim’s mother. At the time, he had stated that the family had severed all ties with Sonam and would seek the death penalty for her.
Sonam was arrested on 9 June 2025 from Ghazipur on charges of conspiring to murder her husband.
