What started as a romantic honeymoon in the scenic hills of Meghalaya has spiraled into a shocking criminal case—one involving betrayal, murder, and a cast of characters that could rival any crime drama.
Just weeks ago, Sonam Raghuvanshi was living a quiet life in Indore. She had recently married Raja Raghuvanshi, and the couple seemed to be beginning a happy chapter. But behind the social media smiles and picture-perfect moments, something far darker was unfolding. Raja’s body was later discovered in a remote forest in Meghalaya, next to a bloodied machete—his life brutally ended far from home.
The mystery deepened when Sonam appeared in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, at a roadside eatery. She contacted her family from there and then calmly surrendered to the police. That choice shifted her from grieving widow to primary suspect in her husband’s murder. She’s now being transported back to Meghalaya for questioning, as investigators believe she was the mastermind behind the killing.
Alongside Sonam, four others are in custody. Among them are three alleged contract killers and a man named Raj Kushwaha, said to be Sonam’s lover and co-conspirator. Police believe the group carefully plotted Raja’s death, luring him to the remote area under the guise of a honeymoon trip.
Sonam had turned herself in at a roadside dhaba and was detained in a women’s shelter until a team from the Meghalaya Police arrived. She was placed in transit custody in Bihar and is being transported to Shillong, where she’ll help reconstruct the events that led to her husband’s murder.
Her alleged accomplices—Raj, Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand—are all in their early twenties. They are now being taken to Meghalaya for further interrogation. According to the Indore police, none of them have prior criminal records. Raj worked with Sonam as an accountant; Anand and Vishal are students, while Akash is currently unemployed.
Authorities say Raja was killed in cold blood, with post-mortem reports revealing two severe head injuries. Investigators believe the murder was premeditated and executed with precision.
The Special Investigation Team is now piecing together the timeline—when the couple disappeared, how they ended up in that forest, and what role each suspect played in the deadly plot. All suspects will be brought to the crime scene to help reconstruct the killing.
The case of Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder continues to grip the nation—not only because of its brutality but because it reads like a chilling thriller where love turns fatal, and trust becomes the deadliest weapon.
