Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi was allegedly murdered by a plot orchestrated by his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi. At just 25 years old, Sonam's angelic appearance deceives many into disbelief about her stained hands in her husband's blood. In this sensational murder, she weaved a cunning plan that eluded police forces across three states for 17 days. However, she is now behind bars, with Shillong police unraveling the layers of her conspiracy. Still, the mystery of a sixth character remains unresolved.
Who was the person assisting Sonam in scripting such a terrifying plot? Could this conspiracy have been inspired by crime thrillers or web series? How did lies entangle Sonam in such a way? Who is this sixth character in this gruesome murder story? Shillong police are diligently working to unveil these mysteries. Coming from a middle-class background, Sonam has been a mediocre student with little attachment to books, barely completing her graduation before joining her family business.
Family and friends alike believe Sonam’s mind could not conceive a plot as dreadful as murder, given her lack of connection with the criminal world and no familial criminal history. So, what is the true mystery of Sonam? Such professional-level planning—like a honeymoon trip turned murder scheme—raises the question: could there be another person involved with Sonam and Raj? Answering these questions is crucial.
On May 11, 2025, Raja and Sonam wed in Indore, embarking on a honeymoon to Meghalaya’s Cherrapunji just 12 days later on May 23. But this honeymoon trip was a premeditated murder conspiracy. Sonam, along with her lover Raj Kushwaha, devised Raja’s murder plan, involving three hired killers Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi. On June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Cherrapunji's Mawkdok area.
Source: aajtak
To simulate a robbery, Raja's jewelry, purse, and mobile were removed. When the case initially emerged, Shillong police approached it as a robbery investigation. Raja's call details yielded no clues. However, suspicion shifted as soon as Sonam's call details were scrutinized, revealing crucial leads that unraveled the case. Sonam had been in constant communication with Indore’s Raj Kushwaha.
The Meghalaya police alleged an affair between Sonam and Raj, suggesting Sonam aspired to marry him but was pressured into marrying Raja. Post-marriage, Sonam began executing a plan to eliminate Raja. On May 21, all accused gathered in Guwahati, thereafter trailing Sonam to Shillong on May 22. The crime was committed on May 23. Subsequently, Sonam departed for Indore by train from Guwahati on May 23, meeting Raj on May 25.
Raj Kushwaha arranged a day’s stay for Sonam in a rented room in Indore before a driver transported her to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Post-murder, Sonam and Raj maintained frequent communication. Neither took photos in Shillong, nor uploaded any, though Sonam posted on Raja’s account posthumously, sparking suspicion. At 2:15 PM, after executing the murder, she wrote on social media, “Together for seven lifetimes,” solidifying doubts.
By June 3 and 4, Meghalaya police confirmed Sonam’s involvement in the murder, arresting Raj Kushwaha in Indore. The conspiracy involved Vishal alias Vicky Thakur, apprehended in Indore; Akash Rajput, arrested in Lalitpur, UP; and Anand, captured in Bina, MP. Sonam eventually surrendered in Ghazipur after initially fabricating an abduction story, an attempt thwarted by Shillong police.
Source: aajtak
Shillong police brought the suspects to Meghalaya under transit remand. Questioned, Sonam feigned ignorance but when confronted with CCTV evidence and proof of her presence with the hired killers, she broke down, confessing, “Yes, I know them, and I got Raja murdered.”
The police staged a confrontation between Sonam and her lover Raj, armed with incriminating evidence. Bloodstained apparel, CCTV footage with the hitmen, and pre- as well as post-murder communications with her in-laws backed the allegations. A local guide had also seen three suspicious people with Raja and Sonam, further exposing the conspiracy.
The investigation revealed that Sonam departed Shillong on May 23, reaching Indore via Siliguri by train on May 25, before her arrest in Ghazipur. The police are piecing together her transit from Indore to Ghazipur, suspecting assistance from a close associate who drove her, though this remains speculative. Confident that the case will soon be clear as glass, all accused appeared in court on Wednesday, granted eight days’ police remand. In custody, detailed interrogations will extract confessions, and the crime scene may be reenacted to connect the murder’s intricacies, aligning gathered evidence with suspects’ disclosures.
Source: aajtak
Meanwhile, reports suggest Meghalaya police could soon bring Sonam to her hometown Indore, within an 'operation honeymoon' framework, where the ghastly murder plot was hatched. Indore's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia noted, "We’ve received information that Sonam returned to Indore (after Raja's murder), staying between May 25-27 in a rented flat in Dewas Naka. Meghalaya police may soon bring her to Indore."
