‘Was attacked in Meghalaya, Raja died saving me': Sonam Raghuvanshi spins new story in honeymoon murder case

Hindustan Times

a day ago

In a dramatic spin to Raja Raghuvanshi's murder story, his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is the prime accused in the case, has now claimed that both she and Raja were attacked, and that he died trying to protect her.
Her version of events, however, is being closely scrutinised. While Sonam alleged she was kidnapped, police suspect her claims are part of a larger conspiracy. Her father, Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, has accused the Meghalaya Police of making false allegations and called for a CBI investigation. On the other hand, Raja's mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, maintains her son was lured to Shillong under false pretences.
The case has seen multiple twists since the couple was first reported 'missing' on May 23 during their honeymoon. Initially, the families criticised the Meghalaya government for not acting swiftly. On June 2, Raja's body was found in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, East Khasi Hills district. Investigators believe the murder occurred on the same day the couple went missing.
According to a Live Hindustan report, Sonam told Sahil, the owner of a roadside eatery where she was found, that she married Raja Raghuvanshi in May 2025 and the two went to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. She claimed some men tried to snatch her jewellery and Raja died trying to protect her. She added that she lost consciousness and did not know how she reached Ghazipur.
Police have rejected this version. Meghalaya Police say Sonam planned Raja's murder with her alleged partner Raj Kushwaha and three contract killers.
Meghalaya deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong stated that several suspects in the murder case of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi have confessed, and that his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi is "fully involved." He confirmed that the accused were arrested from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh by a Meghalaya Police SIT, and that Sonam was the main suspect.
Tynsong said, 'Some of them have also confessed to the crime they committed… The moment we were able to pick Sonam Raghuvanshi, being the prime suspect in the killing, we all came to know that she is fully involved in this operation during their stay here in Meghalaya.'
Some reports suggest Sonam was prepared to push Raja off a cliff herself if the hired killers failed to act.
After the incident, Sonam is believed to have driven from Shillong to Guwahati, and then boarded a train to Indore, reaching the city by May 27. The next day, May 28, she travelled to Ghazipur—hometown of her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, who is also an accused in the case—where she was eventually arrested on June 9, according to Indore Police.