Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Indore property dealer held for concealing evidence
Indore (MP) (PTI): The Meghalaya police have arrested a property dealer from Indore for allegedly concealing crucial evidence in the case of murder of local businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, an official said on Sunday.
The property dealer allegedly concealed a bag belonging to Raghuvanshi's wife Sonam, who hid it in a flat here after the incident, according to police sources.
Indore-based transport businessman Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11 here and the couple left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20.
Raghuvanshi went missing on May 23 and his mutilated body was recovered on June 2 from a deep gorge near a waterfall in the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills district, also known as Cherrapunji.
Sonam, accused of conspiring with her alleged lover to kill her husband, surrendered on June 8 before police in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, while four other accused have been arrested from different locations in MP and UP.
"The Meghalaya police have arrested Shilom James, a property businessman from Indore, for allegedly hiding evidence related to Raja Raghuvanshi murder case," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya told PTI.
James is accused of concealing a bag belonging Sonam at a flat in Indore's Dewas Naka locality after the killing. The bag is believed to have contained key evidence linked to the murder, according to sources.
The flat was rented out to murder co-accused Vishal Chauhan by James, who runs a property management firm in Indore, they said.
On June 13, James told mediapersons that Chauhan approached him on May 30 and rented the flat for Rs 17,000 per month, signing a formal agreement.
However, when the Meghalaya police later searched the flat, it was found vacant, as per the sources.
Sonam is believed to have stayed in the flat for several days on return from Meghalaya, before eventually surrendering to police in UP on June 8, the sources said.
The Meghalaya police had earlier arrested five persons in connection with the murder - Sonam, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and the latter's three friends Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi.
The five are currently in judicial custody and lodged at jail in Meghalaya.
The case is being probed in detail by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Meghalaya police.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
