Meghalaya murder case: New twist as police arrest two for destroying evidence of Sonam's 'secret box'

In yet another twist to the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, two individuals—a property dealer and a security guard—have been arrested for allegedly concealing crucial evidence linked to the case. The arrests point to a possible post-murder cover-up, as police recover a box containing jewellery, a laptop, and what could be the murder weapon. With the arrests of these two individuals, the total number of people held for the crime has reached seven.

Speaking on the development, East Khasi Hills district SP Vivek Syiem said, “The Meghalaya Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested one Silome James from Bhonrasa toll-gate in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh while he was trying to flee to Bhopal around 7.30 pm on Saturday." “He is a property dealer and lessee of a building at Heera Bagh Colony in Indore, where Sonam had stayed and kept the jewellery and other items she took with her after the incident," he said.

He helped Sonam hid a box consisting of jewellery, a laptop and possibly a weapon belonging to her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha. The box was later annihilated, as per police officials.

Police also arrested a watchman and carpenter Ahirwar as another accused from his native village in Ashok Nagar district on Sunday, news agency ANI reported. He was reportedly working at the Indore flat where Sonam and a key accused in the murder had stayed after escaping Meghalaya. “Shillong police came to Shadora today. They took a person named Balvir Ahirwar with them to Indore for questioning. According to the initial investigation, the flat in which Sonam Raghuvanshi stayed after the murder, Balvir Ahirwar was working there as a watchman and a carpenter,” Ashoknagar SP Vineet Kumar Jain was quoted saying to ANI.

A few days back, police investigations revealed that accused Sonam Raghuvanshi made 119 calls to alleged lover Raj Kushwaha in the days leading up to and following the crime. The new name that has surfaced in the probe is of Sanjay Verma, who was previously unknown in the investigation.

Investigators found that Sonam had made 119 phone calls to a person named Sanjay. According to reports, call data records accessed by the police, between March 1 and March 25 revealed that Sonam and Sanjay exchanged 119 calls. His mobile number is currently switched off. Meanwhile, investigators are also probing the link of Sonam's alleged lover Raj Kushwaha who is now believed to be the mastermind behind the murder. He allegedly coordinated with three accomplices—Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Singh Kurmi—who followed the couple to Meghalaya and carried out the murder using a machete.