Raghuvanshi family had gifted Rs 16 lakh jewellery to Sonam, claims brother of murder victim

Indore: The elder brother of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was murdered while honeymooning in Meghalaya, on Monday claimed his family had gifted jewellery worth about Rs 16 lakh to his sister-in-law and prime accused Sonam during the wedding.

Raja's brother Vipin Raghuvanshi made this claim a day after Meghalaya Police recovered crucial evidence including some jewellery, a laptop and other items from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh.

These items were recovered from the maternal home of the wife of real estate businessman Shilom James, who was arrested on charges of hiding and destroying evidence related to the murder.

Vipin was spotted at the office of the Crime Prevention Branch of Indore Police where a Meghalaya Police team has been staying.

Vipin told reporters that he handed over pictures of gold and silver jewellery, worth Rs 16 lakh, to the Meghalaya Police which his family had gifted to Sonam during her marriage with Raja.

"I was called for questioning. The Meghalaya Police team asked me for pictures of the jewellery related to Raja and Sonam's wedding. At present, I do not know which of these jewellery items have been recovered," he said.

Vipin claimed Raja had worn a gold chain and a ring when he left for Meghalaya with Sonam.

He also claimed that Raja had told their mother over the phone that Sonam had asked him to wear jewellery during their trip to the northeastern state.

"Raja had sent us the pictures taken at the airport while leaving for honeymoon. After seeing the pictures, my mother scolded Raja on the phone for wearing expensive jewellery. Raja replied to his mother that Sonam had asked him to wear this jewellery during the honeymoon," he said.

The Meghalaya Police on Sunday stated that gold jewellery and laptops belonging to Raja and Sonam, and some other incriminating materials, were seized.

"The electronic devices and documents seized hold significant evidentiary value and may shed further light on the May 23 murder case involving Sonam Raghuvanshi and her lover Raj Kushwaha," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem had said.

Police have so far arrested Sonam, Kushwaha and his three friends Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi on the charge of murder conspiracy. Three others, including James, were arrested for allegedly hiding and destroying evidence.

Raja Raghuvanshi went missing on May 23 while honeymooning in Meghalaya, three days after he and Sonam left Madhya Pradesh. His mutilated body was found on June 2 in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra area (also known as Cherrapunji).

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya Police is probing the murder case.