Police started the probe to find a couple that went missing during their honeymoon. But within days, a more sinister plot emerged - with the wife Sonam Raghuvanshi emerging as the prime suspect in her husband's murder.
A honeymoon turned deadly
Married on May 10 in Indore, Raja and Sonam arrived in Shillong on May 21. Two days later, Raja’s decomposed body was found at the base of a gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji), bearing fatal head injuries. The brutality of the crime has shocked the nation with new details emerging every day.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Poonam Chand Yadav, four men arrested in connection with the murder have confessed, and all of them pointed to Sonam's active involvement. “She watched her husband die,” ACP Yadav said, confirming that the first fatal blow was struck by accused Vishal Thakur.
Sonam Raghuvanshi's alleged role: From planner to silent witness
Investigators believe the murder was premeditated, and that Sonam played a key role from start to finish.
The couple went on a trek on May 23 to a steep peak to view a waterfall, with hired hitmen secretly following them, according to investigators. Sonam allegedly shared live-location data with the attackers - Vishal Thakur, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kuli.
{{/usCountry}}The couple went on a trek on May 23 to a steep peak to view a waterfall, with hired hitmen secretly following them, according to investigators. Sonam allegedly shared live-location data with the attackers - Vishal Thakur, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kuli.
{{/usCountry}}At one point during the trek, Sonam pretended to be exhausted and deliberately lagged behind her husband and the assailants. When they reached a secluded area, she allegedly instructed the hitmen to kill Raja.
However, the 3 men initially refused, claiming they were too tired, sources said. Sonam then reportedly increased the offer to ₹20 lakh to persuade them.
Sources further allege that Sonam assisted the accused in disposing of Raja’s body by helping them throw it into a ditch. A preliminary autopsy report revealed that Raja Raghuvanshi had suffered two head injuries - one to the back and another to the front of his head.
A machete-like weapon, found near the crime scene and believed to have caused Raja’s fatal injuries, was not a local tool. Authorities suspect it was brought in from outside the region, further supporting the theory of pre-planning. The blade is now undergoing forensic analysis.
The last message
Adding to the timeline of suspicion, Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, told police that she received a voice message from Sonam on May 23 - the day Raja was killed. In it, Sonam sounded breathless and claimed she was “trekking” and “refusing to break her fast.” That was the last anyone heard from her until her dramatic surrender in Uttar Pradesh on June 9.
What the families say
Raja’s brother, Vipul Raghuvanshi, has openly accused Sonam and her family of orchestrating the murder. “This was a premeditated murder. We need justice. I demand a CBI inquiry,” he said.
Kushwaha’s family, meanwhile, maintains his innocence, while Sonam’s father has accused the Meghalaya Police of “spinning stories.”