BHOPAL– What began as a missing persons case involving a honeymooning couple from Indore has now unraveled into one of the most disturbing murder investigations in recent memory. Seventeen days after Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered in Meghalaya, his wife Sonam, the only other person present at the time, resurfaced in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh—exhausted, distraught, and, according to police, at the center of a murder conspiracy.
Late Sunday night, Sonam appeared at a roadside eatery, where she borrowed a phone and tearfully contacted her family. Her brother, upon hearing her voice, alerted local authorities. Police quickly recovered her and took her for medical evaluation, but the mystery surrounding her journey—and her role in the crime—has only deepened.
Raja and Sonam had been married just days before the trip. They left Indore for their honeymoon on May 20, visiting the Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati before continuing to Shillong on May 23. Shortly afterward, both went silent. Their phones had been off since May 24, prompting concern among family members. Raja’s brother, Vipin, and Sonam’s brother, Govind, set out for Shillong in a desperate attempt to locate them.
The search led them to a local moped rental operator, who directed them to a site where the couple’s rented vehicle had been abandoned. That lead took them to the Sohra police station, marking the beginning of what would become a wide-reaching murder probe.
By June 2, Raja’s body was recovered from a gorge in Meghalaya. Police confirmed he had been murdered with a dao, a traditional tool commonly used in the region. But questions lingered—especially regarding Sonam’s whereabouts. When she was located in Ghazipur, over 1,000 kilometers away from the crime scene, investigators were stunned.
Soon after, Meghalaya’s Director General of Police, Idashisha Nongrang, made a shocking statement: Sonam had allegedly orchestrated her husband’s murder, hiring contract killers to carry out the crime. Her father, Devi Singh, has rejected the allegations, maintaining her innocence. But mounting evidence has placed her under growing suspicion.
Authorities have detained five individuals connected to the murder: Raj Kushwaha and Vishal Chauhan in Indore, Akash Rajput nearby, Anand Kurmi in Basari village near Bina, and Akash Lodhi in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh. All are currently under interrogation, with investigators working to map their connections to Sonam and the murder plot.
Adding to the complexity, eyewitness testimony has emerged from Albert Pde, a local guide in Shillong. He told police he saw Raja and Sonam with three unidentified men on May 23 while trekking between Nongriat and Mawlakhiat. Albert recalled that the couple had declined his guiding services, opting instead for another local guide. The next day, he saw them again—this time with the three men—before they disappeared.
Investigators believe one of the central figures in the alleged conspiracy is Raj Kushwaha, a former aide of Sonam’s father and someone reportedly close to her. While media reports have linked him to the murder, some discrepancies remain—he’s five years younger than Sonam and was reportedly not present in Shillong at the time of the killing.
Sonam’s behavior before and after the incident continues to puzzle authorities. She had lived with Raja’s family after their wedding without showing signs of distress. However, Raja’s mother recalls her son confiding that Sonam seemed emotionally distant. She had booked the honeymoon trip, and while Raja hesitated, he agreed to go. Now, that decision has left his family devastated.
Back in Indore, tensions have erupted. Family members, outraged by the revelations, burned posters outside their home calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. They now demand the death penalty if Sonam is proven guilty.
Sonam is currently in protective custody at a women’s center in Uttar Pradesh, awaiting transfer to Meghalaya. She has not been interrogated by local police, with the case being led solely by Shillong authorities.
Meanwhile, a timeline of events reveals the swift progression from honeymoon to horror:
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May 11: Raja and Sonam are married.
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May 20: The couple departs for their honeymoon.
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May 22–23: They reach Sohra and rent a two-wheeler to explore the region.
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May 24: All communication with the couple ceases.
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May 27–31: Multiple state and national leaders, including MP Shankar Lalwani and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, push for high-level action as search efforts are hampered by rain.
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June 2: Raja’s body is recovered.
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June 3–4: His murder is confirmed; his body is flown back to Indore.
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June 5–7: CCTV footage emerges showing the couple together in Shillong.
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June 9: Sonam is found in Ghazipur and taken into custody.
Despite the unfolding evidence, Raja’s family remains cautious. His brother, Vipin, insists that unless Sonam confesses, they cannot be certain of her guilt. Yet the trail of events, intercepted communications, and eyewitness accounts all suggest a deeper plot—one still waiting to be fully uncovered.
For now, the case remains suspended between grief and suspicion, as authorities work to peel back the layers of a chilling crime that has stunned the nation. (Source: IANS)
