Raja Raghuvanshi's last day: How murder plot unfolded in 9 hours during Meghalaya honeymoon? Full timeline
Meghalaya honeymoon murder case: Sonam is accused of masterminding the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in the picturesque town of Sohra, Meghalaya.
Raja Raghuvanshi, a 29-year-old Indore transport businessman, who had gone to the northeastern state for his honeymoon, was murdered by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, with the help of her alleged lover Raj Kushwah. The duo had hired three killers to execute the plan. Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam were reported missing on May 23, and days later, the body of the newlywed groom was discovered on June 2 in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji, in the East Khasi Hills district.
According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam was allegedly involved in a conspiracy to murder her husband with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha. Sonam, who married Raja on May 11, took him to Meghalaya for their honeymoon, where she murdered him with the help of three contract killers, Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Anand Kurmi. Despite being in a relationship with Raj Kushwaha, Sonam married Raja due to pressure from her family.
The autopsy report of Raja Raghuvanshi indicated that he was hit twice with a sharp object on his head, officials at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) said. "The autopsy report indicated there were two sharp cuts on the head of the deceased — one from behind and one from the front," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said.
Complete timeline of events on the day of Raja's murder
According to the investigation so far:
- 5:30 AM: Raja and Sonam checked out of Shipra Homestay. The three killers, who were staying nearby, also checked out around the same time.
- 6:00 AM: Raja and Sonam began their trek. Midway, Sonam stopped and waited for the killers to arrive. She contacted them under the pretext of asking for directions and also made killers talk to Raj.
- 7:00 AM: Raja and Sonam stopped at a shop for tea. The killers were also present nearby at that time.
- 10:00 AM: By now, Raja and Sonam had climbed approximately 2,000 steps. A tourist guide spotted them with three other men. The police have recorded the guide's statement.
- 12:00 PM: Killers befriended Raja. Taking advantage of the moment, Sonam started walking behind the group while Raja and the three killers walked ahead.
- 12:30 PM: Sonam called her mother-in-law, told her about the trek, and said they were tired because of the trek.
- Between 1:00 PM and 1:30 PM: Sonam signaled the attackers and Vishal made the first attack.
- 2:15 PM: Sonam posted from Raja's phone to mislead investigators, then threw the phone into the valley.
- 2:30 PM: After the murder, Raja's body was pushed into the gorge.
Sonam's mobile phones are missing
In the latest development in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, it has come to light that Sonam was carrying two mobile phones at the time of the crime, one keypad phone and one Android smartphone. However, both phones are currently missing and have not been recovered by the police.
Meanwhile, the mobile phones of the other four accused have been seized. Investigators have also recovered several SIM cards used in the planning and execution of the murder, though the search for a few remains ongoing.
According to sources, Raj had provided Sonam with both phones before she left for Shillong. He also financed the entire trip, with payments for flights and accommodations made through his Paytm account.
Notably, the entire Meghalaya itinerary, including the stay at a homestay, a visit to Cherrapunji, and other travel, was personally planned by Sonam.