A shocking revelation has emerged in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case. Newlywed Sonam Raghuvanshi lured her husband Raja Raghuvanshi to Guwahati, Assam under the pretense of visiting Kamakhya Devi, but her true intent was murder. Meghalaya police investigations unveiled that Sonam led Raja to Sohra in Shillong under the excuse of trekking and handed him over to contract killers Akash Rajput, Vishal alias Vicky Thakur, and Anand Kurmi, where he was murdered on May 23. Raja's body was discovered in a ravine on June 2.
The 'Operation Honeymoon' by Meghalaya police revealed that after marriage, Sonam did not allow Raja to even touch her, claiming that intimacy could only follow Kamakhya Devi's blessings due to a vow. Using this excuse, Sonam, alongside her lover Raj Kushwaha, planned the trip to Guwahati and Meghalaya. Police recovered photos of Raja performing rituals at the Kamakhya Temple, which were critical evidence of the plot's beginning.
Questions arise as Sonam took the photos but did not appear in them, with only Raja visible. Sonam exploited Raja's love for trekking to lead him into the dense Sohra jungles, where the murder was executed.
Contract Killers' Guwahati Connection
Police investigations unveiled that the three hitmen, Akash, Vishal, and Anand, stayed at Guwahati’s Anand Lodge on May 19. They posed as students and submitted ID cards. The lodge manager told 'AajTak' that they came from Indore and left abruptly on the morning of May 20 without notification. Police are now set to interrogate the manager.
Sonam and Raja's Last Known Location: Hotel Manha
On May 22, Sonam and Raja arrived at Hotel Manha in Sohra, Cherrapunji but, due to room unavailability, they requested to store their belongings on-site promising to return later to collect them. However, they left the items behind and never returned. Upon learning of the murder case, hotel staff surrendered the items to the police, who have since seized them, along with the hotel's CCTV and DVR.
Unraveling Conspiracy Layers and Evidence
Police uncovered 42 CCTV footages, a blood-stained jacket, Sonam's raincoat, and the murder weapon near Guwahati railway station. DIG Davis NR Marak confirmed that Sonam, in collusion with her lover Raj Kushwaha, admitted orchestrating the murder. Nevertheless, Sonam and Raj accused each other of being the mastermind. To mislead the investigation, Sonam posted 'seven lifetimes together' from Raja's social media after his death.
Raja's brother Sachin commented, "Sonam cleverly turned Raja's passion for trekking against him, crafting a plot akin to the Bollywood film 'Humraaz'." Sonam's brother Govind insisted on the death penalty for his sister, promising to join the fight for justice alongside Raja's family.
