Sonam Offered Rs 20 Lakh To Kill Husband Raja Raghuvanshi, Paid Some In Advance: Reports

News18

2 days ago

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Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly paid Rs 15,000 in cash and promised a total amount of Rs 20 lakh to three men for murdering her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, reports claim.
Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, paid lakhs of rupees to killers to execute the plan, multiple media reports claimed.
As the investigations into the case progressed, it was learnt that Sonam allegedly initially offered Rs 4 lakh for her husband's murder. However, she later raised the amount to Rs 20 lakh.
It was also reported that Sonam Raghuvanshi had paid Rs 15,000 in cash to the killers on the spot, as they were hired, and promised to pay the remaining amount after the plan was executed.
However, the police were yet to verify such claims.
Reports suggest the three accused hired by Sonam to kill her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, had first met the couple in Bengaluru, from where they boarded a connecting flight to Meghalaya.
Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi, who got married in Indore on May 11, arrived in Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20.
According to Raja Raghuvanshi's family, they last spoke to the couple on May 23, after which they were reported missing.
A scooter, that the couple had hired on rent, was found abandoned at a spot on May 24, after which the police intensified the search to trace the two.
Days later, on June 2, the police found a male body in a gorge, in a decomposed state. As it was established that the body was of Raja Raghuvanshi, it was revealed that a gold chain and a finger ring were missing from his remains.
Meanwhile, Raja's wife, Sonam, remained missing.
In the early hours of June 9, the police traced Sonam to an eatery in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Her location was known after she had called up her brother and informed him about her whereabouts, who later informed the police.
As the probe continued, a staffer at the eatery confirmed that Sonam had arrived there during the late hours and was crying. She asked the staffer for a mobile phone and told him she wanted to call her family.
Later, the police said Sonam had surrendered in the case.
Alongside Sonam, the police also arrested Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and one Anand Kurmi.
A fourth accused, also alleged to be Sonam Raghuvanshi's lover, Raj Kushwaha, was also arrested from Madhya Pradesh.
It was learnt that Sonam had planned Raja Raghuvanshi's murder with Raj Kushwaha, and the two had asked the other three to execute the plan.
Raja Raghuvanshi's family members also claimed they saw Raj Kushwaha at their Indore home after Raja's body had arrived there.
First Published:
June 11, 2025, 08:05 IST