In a shocking twist, the case of the missing Indore couple in Shillong has taken a dramatic turn, as Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife, surrendered to the Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghazipur in the early hours of Monday. According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam had been missing since May 23 in Shillong. Her surrender comes just a week after her husband's body was discovered deep inside a gorge in the Cherrapunji area.
Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, whose body was discovered in a deep gorge in Meghalaya, has been arrested for his murder. The couple had gone to the state for their honeymoon but went missing shortly after their arrival. Police revealed that Sonam conspired to kill her husband with the help of her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha. The duo allegedly hired contract killers to carry out the murder. Raj Kushwaha and three other accused have also been arrested.
Here's what we know so far about this case:
- Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi was allegedly killed by men hired by his wife during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, DGP Idashisha Nongrang said on Monday. Sources said the couple, who married on May 11, had travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20. The murder was allegedly planned and executed just three days later. He was found dead on June 2 in a gorge near the Weisawdong Falls parking area in East Khasi Hills, days after the couple went missing on May 23.
- Sonam Raghuvanshi surrendered "under pressure", according to police officials. Sonam, who had been untraceable since the discovery of her husband's body, was located in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district late Sunday night. Five people, including the wife, have been arrested in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. The arrested accused have been identified as Raj Kushwaha, Vicky Thakur, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi.
- Key accused Raj Kushwaha is believed to be the mastermind and was in continuous contact with Sonam. Kushwaha was tracked and arrested using his call detail records. The other arrested accused has been identified as Vicky Thakur.
- According to sources in the Meghalaya Police, two injuries were found on Raja Raghuvanshi's body --- the first injury was inflicted on the front of his head, and the second one was from the back. The postmortem report of Raja Raghuvanshi has revealed that he was attacked on his back, which caused deep wounds on his body.
- Sonam and Raj Kushwaha jointly plotted the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. To execute their plan, Raj hired contract killers. Although Raj himself never travelled to Shillong, he maintained continuous contact with Sonam over the phone. In Shillong, three hired assassins, Akash, Vishal, and Anand, were present to carry out the killing. Raj coordinated everything over the phone.
- As part of the conspiracy, Sonam deliberately took Raja to a deserted road under the guise of going sightseeing. Once they reached the isolated spot, the three contract killers attacked Raja with sharp-edged weapons, killing him on the spot. Following the murder, Sonam, along with Akash, Vishal, and Anand, travelled to Guwahati, where they stayed for a day. Afterward, they parted ways and moved to separate locations.
- To crack the case, Meghalaya Police retrieved the location data and Call Detail Records (CDRs) from all mobile towers around Sohrim near Golden Piece Dhaba in Nongriat and Mawlakhiat villages between May 24 and June 2. The investigation identified five mobile numbers from Madhya Pradesh, including those of Anand Kurmi, Akash Rajput, and Vishal (alias Vicky Thakur), along with Raja and Sonam. Investigators found that Sonam was constantly in touch with Raj and was also sharing her live location, which was passed on to Anand, Akash, and Vishal. During the entire operation, Raj coordinated from Indore, staying in continuous contact with all four co-accused.
- Meanwhile, the mother of Raja Raghuvanshi, Uma Raghuvanshi, made a startling revelation in the case, stating that Sonam had booked the tickets to Meghalaya for their honeymoon but had not arranged a return ticket, suggesting that there was a premeditated plan to murder Raja. "Sonam had booked the tickets to Meghalaya. She had chosen it as the destination for their honeymoon. There was already a plan in place to kill Raja — she hadn't even booked a return ticket from Meghalaya," said the mother of Raja.
- Sonam Raghuvanshi's father, Devi Singh, has strongly defended his daughter, denying her involvement in the killing of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. "My daughter is innocent. I trust her completely... she cannot do something like this," Singh said. "They were married with the full consent of both families. The Meghalaya government has been lying from the beginning… and the state police are involved in the murder of Raja."
- According to Meghalaya Police, Sonam is the mastermind behind the shocking honeymoon murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. Sources reveal that Sonam and Raj had been in a relationship for a long time. Raj was employed as a manager in the plywood business run by Sonam's brother. Their affair remained hidden even after Sonam married Raja.
On June 8, Meghalaya Police informed their Indore counterparts that the three suspects were in Indore. Acting swiftly, the Indore Crime Branch apprehended Akash, Vicky, and Raj Kushwaha that very night. Based on their inputs, Anand Kurmi was arrested by the Sagar Police in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. The murder weapon was reportedly purchased in Guwahati, and according to sources, when Raj sensed that something might go wrong, Sonam activated "Plan B" and portrayed herself as a victim, further deepening the deception.