A romantic trip to Meghalaya took a dark and shocking turn when 30-year-old Raja Raghuvanshi was found murdered, allegedly at the hands of his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and her partner Raj Kushwaha. As investigators piece together the chilling details, both accused are now trying to shift the blame onto each other, denying that they had planned the crime.
Accused try to dodge blame as investigation deepens
Police say Sonam and Raj are not cooperating fully and are instead attempting to discredit each other during questioning. According to investigators, after Raja was struck on the head by a hired assailant named Vishal, the group allegedly threw his body down a deep gorge in Meghalaya’s Sohra region. Sonam is believed to have lured her husband to the edge of the cliff under the pretext of taking a photograph, after which the hired killers claim she helped dispose of the body.
Officials also stated that after the murder, Sonam and the attackers left the scene on a scooter, splitting up later to avoid suspicion. A senior officer involved in the case revealed that evidence collected so far includes the murder weapon, blood-stained clothing, CCTV footage of the couple, and witness accounts, including that of a local guide who reportedly saw them together before the incident.
Police focus on planning, motive, and money trail
On Wednesday, a district and sessions court in Meghalaya granted police eight days of custody for Sonam and four other accused. The police are now planning to take them back to the crime scene to recreate the events leading up to the murder. Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor said that authorities are looking into how the crime was planned, the roles of each participant, and financial transactions between them.
The investigation is also examining valuables Sonam allegedly took on the trip. Her mangalsutra and a toe ring were recovered from the hotel where she and Raja had left their luggage—one of the early clues that hinted something was amiss. Another officer pointed out that the route taken to the crime scene was an unusual one, rarely used by tourists or locals, and may have been chosen deliberately as it is a disputed area between two local clans.
Raja and Sonam had been reported missing during their honeymoon last month. Earlier this month, Raja’s body was recovered, triggering a deeper probe. After police arrested Raj Kushwaha, Sonam surrendered at a police station in Uttar Pradesh.
