Just hours before Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi was brutally murdered and dumped into a gorge in Meghalaya, he was seen trekking with his wife Sonam, who would later be named the prime accused in the case. A tourist’s video, taken on the morning of May 23, has now surfaced, inadvertently capturing one of the last visuals of the couple together — a moment that could play a crucial role in the investigation.
Video Evidence Emerges From Tourist’s Instagram
Tourist Dev Singh, who was visiting the scenic Nongriat-Cherrapunji trail in Meghalaya, recorded a casual video while descending a steep hill around 9:45 am. In the background, Sonam and Raja can be seen climbing the trail. Sonam, dressed in a white t-shirt and carrying a polythene bag believed to contain a raincoat, led the way, while Raja followed. Singh later realized the significance of the video and posted it on Instagram, saying, “This might be the last footage of the Indore couple.”
He noted that the white t-shirt Sonam was wearing in the video was later recovered by Meghalaya Police near the crime scene. Singh also expressed sorrow over Raja’s fate, stating, “He looked so normal, unaware of the trap laid ahead.”
Timeline of the Murder Plan
According to police sources, the couple had checked out of Shipara Homestay in Nongriat at 5:30 am that morning and began their trek half an hour later. Unbeknownst to Raja, Sonam’s three accomplices — Anand Kurmi, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Chauhan — had also checked out of a nearby stay around the same time. A local guide, whose observation later proved crucial, spotted all five together during the trek.
Around 10 am, after covering approximately 2,000 steps, the couple encountered the three hired killers. Witnesses noted that Sonam, who was leading initially, started trailing behind once the conversation between Raja and the men began. By 12:30 pm, she called Raja’s mother, saying she felt exhausted. Raja also briefly spoke to his mother — their last conversation.
An hour later, the group drove from Mawlakhiat to Wei Sawdong Waterfalls’ parking lot. It was here that the three men killed Raja and disposed of his body in a gorge. The case initially started as a missing persons report until June 2, when Raja’s body was recovered. Sonam was later found unconscious at a dhaba in Ghazipur on June 7, where she was treated and eventually surrendered to police.
