No interference from government as police crack Raja Raghuvanshi case: Meghalaya CS

Correspondent

Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang asserted that the state police were given complete autonomy in investigating the high-profile murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, despite mounting pressure from the victim’s family and political leaders to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“Right from the time when the missing report was filed and the FIR was subsequently registered, the police have always had a free hand in conducting the investigation. There was no attempt from any quarter to interfere with the process. That is the reason the investigation led to the arrest of the culprits,” Wahlang stated.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by the police, citing both time constraints and difficult terrain. “There was a lot of pressure from various quarters to hand over the investigation to central agencies. The police worked under a lot of pressure, but kudos to them. We have to give credit to the investigation team for cracking the case. It’s a watertight case now, and I’m sure it will lead to a chargesheet,” he added.

Calls for a CBI inquiry had grown louder, with the deceased’s family—supported by political voices in Madhya Pradesh—pressing for central intervention. On June 7, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav spoke with his Meghalaya counterpart and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, reiterating the demand to hand the case over to the CBI.

However, Wahlang maintained that the state government did not yield to external pressure. “There was no direct pressure as such. But as you have seen, the relatives from Madhya Pradesh made it very clear—even in national media—that the case should be handed over to central agencies. Still, we never succumbed to that pressure. The police were given a free hand, and they have done a good job,” he said.

Rejecting comparisons between state and central investigating agencies, Wahlang emphasized focusing on results over speculation. “The whole idea is to ensure that the culprits are nabbed—and they have been. The investigation and interrogation are ongoing. It’s futile to compare the state police with the CBI. Let us not speculate or conjecture in that direction. What matters is that the police cracked the case, and we are happy with that,” he stated.

Describing the case as “a little complicated,” he acknowledged its unique challenges. “It’s an outlier, I must say, because something like this is happening for the first time. But with the help of technology and advanced investigative tools, they’ve managed to crack the case. Yes, it has interstate dimensions—you can even say it had a pan-India scope. But the team has done a commendable job, and I’m confident it will lead to a chargesheet soon,” Wahlang said.

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