Meghalaya Minister demands apology from families of Sonam, Raja Raghuvanshi for 'tarnishing' state image

Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], June 10 (ANI): Meghalaya Minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Tuesday demanded an apology from the families of both Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi for allegedly 'tarnishing' the image of the state and its people under the ongoing murder case.
Speaking to ANI, Meghalaya Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said, "We are thankful to the Meghalaya police for the breakthroughs in the ongoing investigation of the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. Now we are seeking an apology from Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi's families for tarnishing the image of Meghalaya and its people. We will file a case of defamation if they don't comply."
"The accused will be brought here since the incident took place in the state. We do not have any issue if they want to hand over the case to the state police, central police or the probe agency, but the truth has already prevailed," said the Minister.
The family of Raja Raghuvanshi had earlier written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a CBI inquiry into the matter. Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife, Sonam, went missing during their honeymoon in the northeastern state. The couple was last seen on May 23.
Later, on June 2, Raja's body was found in a gorge at Sohrarim near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.
Sonam Raghuvanshi was later found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road.
After Sonam was found in Uttar Pradesh, the police officials sent her to Sadar Hospital for initial treatment. Now she is kept in the Sakhi One Stop Centre, a shelter for women who are victims of violence.
Earlier in the day, the fourth accused, identified as Anand in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, was also sent to transit remand for 7 days.
Three other accused--- Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Raj Singh Kushwaha received transit remand for 7 days on Monday.
The Meghalaya Police brought Sonam Raghuvanshi to Phulwari Sarif police station in Bihar's Patna after receiving her three-day transit remand.
On Monday, the Meghalaya Police got the transit remand of the three accused in Indore's Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.
Earlier, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong confirmed the arrest of four individuals in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi.
Addressing the media on June 9, shortly after Sonam Raghvanshi surrendered to the police, Tynsong stated that the authorities are still searching for one remaining suspect.
He informed that Sonam voluntarily turned herself in, and all those apprehended would be brought to Shillong for further investigation.
The Meghalaya Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chief Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor said that, according to the post-mortem report, the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi sustained two head injuries.
Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife, Sonam, both residents of Madhya Pradesh's Indore, had gone missing during their honeymoon in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Raja Raghuvanshi's body was later recovered in Meghalaya. (ANI)