In a chilling case of premeditated murder cloaked as a honeymoon getaway, Sonam Raghuvanshi stands accused of orchestrating the brutal killing of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, just days after their wedding, in what police say was a meticulously planned conspiracy spanning multiple states.
The 27-year-old woman, along with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, is at the center of an elaborate murder plot executed during the couple’s honeymoon in Meghalaya.
Raja’s body was discovered on June 2 in a deep gorge near a waterfall in the East Khasi Hills district, raising immediate suspicions due to the circumstances of his disappearance on May 23.
Investigations have since revealed that the murder was not a spontaneous act but the culmination of a months-long plan that began in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Police say Kushwaha—described as the primary conspirator—hatched the plan as early as February.
Sonam is believed to have willingly joined the plot before marrying Raja on May 11.
Shortly after the killing, Sonam fled to a flat in Indore’s Dewas Naka area—rented on May 30, just days after Raja was last seen alive. The apartment was secured by one of the three accused attackers, Vishal Singh Chauhan, under the guise of a regular tenancy agreement.
Shilom James, the property agent who leased the flat for ₹17,000 per month, confirmed no CCTV surveillance was available in the building, potentially aiding Sonam’s concealment. Police later learned that Raj Kushwaha arranged for groceries worth ₹5,000 to be delivered to the hideout.
According to Superintendent of Police (East Khasi Hills) Vivek Syiem, the trio of assailants—described as friends rather than hired killers—were motivated by personal loyalty to Kushwaha, with one even being his cousin.
Chauhan is reported to have launched the initial attack on Raja with a machete, indicating a brutal and calculated execution rather than a crime of passion.
While Kushwaha is believed to have paid ₹50,000 to facilitate the murder, authorities maintain this was not a typical contract killing, but a “favour” executed by friends who shared a mutual objective.
After evading law enforcement for over two weeks, Sonam resurfaced in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh—1,200 km from the crime scene—and surrendered to police on June 9.
Her calculated flight from Meghalaya and subsequent concealment in Indore underscore the depth of planning behind the murder.
Raja’s family, devastated by the betrayal, has publicly expressed outrage. In a symbolic act, they removed Sonam’s image from wedding posters. His elder brother,
Sachin Raghuvanshi is now demanding narco-analysis tests on both Sonam and Kushwaha, asserting that they may be attempting to shift blame onto each other.
He has also called for the case to be fast-tracked and for double life sentences to be handed down to those involved. “This was not a random act—it was a calculated murder, and we believe more people were involved, including members of Sonam’s family,” he said.
Meghalaya Police are continuing to piece together the timeline and the full scope of the conspiracy. So far, five individuals—Sonam, Kushwaha, and the three alleged attackers—have been arrested.
Authorities say the murder was plotted well before the wedding, making it a rare and disturbing case of a pre-wedding conspiracy executed during what was meant to be a honeymoon.
As investigators delve deeper into the chilling plot, the case stands as a grim reminder of how premeditated violence can be masked behind celebrations—and how betrayal can turn deadly in the most intimate of settings.