India, Oct. 29 -- A court in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on Tuesday formally framed charges against five accused in the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was allegedly hacked to death by hired assailants during his honeymoon trip to Sohra in May this year.

The five accused - Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raja's wife; her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha; and three alleged hitmen, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi - were charged under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (disappearance of evidence), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

The five accused pleaded not guilty when produced before the sessions judge.

East Khasi Hills superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Syiem, who ...