What started as a honeymoon trip ended in a brutal murder, as police allege that 25-year-old Sonam Raghuvanshi conspired with her lover and cousin to have her husband killed in Meghalaya.
Raja Raghuvanshi, Sonam’s husband, was found dead on May 23 near Weisawdong Falls, a remote tourist spot in Cherrapunji (Sohra), Meghalaya. Initially, the case seemed like a tragic accident during a couple’s getaway. However, investigations quickly revealed a planned murder.
Authorities say Sonam and her alleged partner, Raj Kushwaha, plotted Raja’s killing before the trip. To create confusion, Sonam threw her belongings—including her phone—into a gorge, pretending she had fallen to her death too. This was intended to mislead police and delay the investigation.
Cousin Funded the Crime
As the probe deepened, police uncovered that Sonam’s cousin played a critical role by financing the murder. The money was reportedly used to hire contract killers from Indore. The motive, according to investigators, may have involved personal conflicts and Sonam’s ongoing affair with Kushwaha.
Caught Through Digital Trails
Sonam was eventually tracked down and arrested in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Her lover, Kushwaha, is also in police custody. The arrest followed a digital trail—call records, CCTV footage, and bank transactions—that helped authorities connect the dots.
Police say the killers were promised a hefty payment and are now being actively pursued.
Investigation Continues
Sonam is currently being interrogated, and police are working to determine how many others may have been involved in the conspiracy. The investigation is still ongoing, and more arrests could follow.
The three teams of Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya police separately questioning the five accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, sources said on Friday.
According to sources, the accused have been questioned for a total of 25 hours so far, and each accused is being questioned separately.
“The three teams of SIT questioning the accused on the basis of the evidence and data gathered from Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya,” a source said.
All the five accused including (deceased) Raja Raghuvanshi’s wife Sonam Raghuvanshi in the sensational murder case were presented at a Shillong court on June 11 — ten days after Raja’s body was recovered on June 2 from a deep gorge below the Wei Sawdong parking lot at Riat Arliang in Sohra in East Khasi Hills district, sending shockwaves across the country.
The court sent all five accused to eight days’ police custody.
