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In a shocking twist to the mysterious death of Indore-based Raja during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, police on Monday confirmed the arrest of his wife, Sonam, for allegedly orchestrating his murder by hiring contract killers.

Sangita Raghuvanshi, mother of Sonam, told IANS, "I am thankful that she has been found, but the pain still remains. Now, we just want to know who killed Raja. She has been found, but we are still in grief over Raja's murder. There's sorrow even though she has returned, we lost Raja."

On the allegations against Sonam, she said, "The investigation will reveal who did what. The allegations are being made, and now, unfortunately, we will have to face all of it."

According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam was tracked down in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, where she later surrendered at Nandganj police station.

"One person was picked up from Uttar Pradesh, and another two accused were apprehended from Indore by the SIT. Sonam surrendered at the Nandganj police station and was subsequently arrested," officials said, adding that one more accused is still absconding.

Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang stated that the investigation is ongoing, and the arrested individuals are being questioned for further leads.

Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K. Sangma also acknowledged the breakthrough in the case.

Taking to X, he posted, "Within 7 days a major breakthrough has been achieved by the Meghalaya Police in the Raja murder case ... 3 assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered and operation still on to catch 1 more assailant .. well done."

The couple, Raja and Sonam, had arrived in Meghalaya for their honeymoon and were exploring various locations when they went missing on May 23.

Ten days later, Raja's body was recovered from a deep gorge beneath the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang. A machete, suspected to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

At the time, Sonam had also gone missing, prompting a multi-state search.

As the case unfolded, the families of Raja and Sonam had raised serious concerns about the investigation. They demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, alleging negligence by the Meghalaya Police.

The families pointed to CCTV footage and GPS data from a scooty which suggested the presence of three to four individuals with the couple, claims they said the local authorities failed to pursue.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had also weighed in on the case, appealing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a CBI inquiry to ensure justice.

- IANS