Indore, June 23 (IANS) Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya Police, which is campaigning in Indore, have arrested two more accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder case as the investigation deepens.

An official identified the accused as Silome James, a property dealer and tenant of a building in Indore’s Heera Bagh Colony, where Sonam Raghuvanshi had stayed after returning from Meghalaya following the murder, and Balla Ahirwar, a security guard of the building.

They were arrested for allegedly helping the prime accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, the deceased’s wife, and her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, in disposing of evidence.

“Both accused have been taken into a seven-day transit remand by Meghalaya police for further investigation. The accused have been brought to Indore, and the probe is ongoing,” Additional DCP, Indore, Rajesh Dandotia, told IANS.

Dandotia denied sharing further details about the ongoing investigation, saying that Indore police are only assisting Meghalaya Police.

“The SIT will stay for a few more days in Indore as the investigation is still incomplete. Seven people have been arrested so far. Meghalaya Police had arrived in Indore on June 17, and they will stay here until their investigation is completed,” said Dandotia.

Accused Silome James was arrested at the Bhonrasa toll plaza in Dewas district around 7.30 p.m. on June 21 while trying to flee to Bhopal. Following this, he was brought to Indore and taken to the spot where he allegedly burnt a box belonging to Sonam that contained multiple items, including jewellery, a laptop, and a firearm allegedly owned by Kushwaha.

The security guard, Balla Ahirwar, who had fled to his native village, was also arrested in the Ashok Nagar district of Madhya Pradesh.

The three alleged contract killers are already in jail in Meghalaya. On Saturday, a court in Meghalaya granted judicial custody of Kushwaha and Sonam. Three members of the SIT have been staying in Madhya Pradesh since June 17 and visiting multiple places linked to the accused.

They have also questioned relatives and acquaintances of the couple, as part of their detailed investigation of the case.

Sonam and Raghuvanshi had married on May 11, they had left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20, and were reported missing on May 23 from Sohra town in East Khasi Hills district.

Raghuvanshi’s decomposed body was found in a deep gorge on June 2, while his wife, earlier believed to be missing, was arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur on June 9.

The other four accused were arrested from different parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

–IANS

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