Honeymoon turns horror: How Sonam plotted husband Raja's murder in Meghalaya
TOI.in
/ Jun 12, 2025, 04:05PM IST
A honeymoon in Meghalaya ended in a gruesome murder as Raja Raghuvanshi, a newly married man from Indore, was hacked to death in a remote forest area—allegedly on the orders of his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi. Police claim the killing was premeditated and executed with the help of Sonam's lover and three hired accomplices.Authorities said Sonam initially claimed they were attacked by robbers, but inconsistencies in her account and digital evidence led to further scrutiny. She later confessed during interrogation, with police saying she gave Rs 50,000 to Raj to fund travel and track their movements. Sonam has now been identified as the prime conspirator in what police call a calculated and cold-blooded murder.
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NDTV
20 minutes ago
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Compensation Denied, Justice Delayed: The Silent Wails Of POCSO Victims
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This delay starkly violates the POCSO Act's mandate for compensation disbursal within 30 days, highlighting a gap between law and lived reality. In another case, the Court adequately gauged the gravity of the offence and the distress of a 13-year-old victim of rape and resultant pregnancy, however, the state machinery fell short. The victim, who has now turned 18, was forced to abandon her education to raise her child (now 4 years old) without any familial support, as her father had passed away. Despite the lapse of five years, and award of interim compensation of Rs 1,50,000, nothing has not been disbursed to her as of today. These cases are not an exception, but emblematic of the systemic denial of justice to POCSO survivors across India. Statutory Framework and Evolution Compensation did not always form a part of the justice framework. Historically, any form of reparation to victims came from the fines imposed on the offenders. In 1973, Section 545 of the CrPC was amended enabling the courts to grant compensation even in the absence of fines. Reforms through 154th Law Commission Report (1996) and Malimath Committee Report (2003) further bolstered restorative justice to victims, mandating states to establish 'Victim Compensation Schemes. Recognising the need for a special framework for child victims of sexual offences, the Legislature enacted the gender-neutral POCSO Act, 2012, ensuring time-bound trials and rehabilitation. The POCSO Act empowered Special Courts to direct payment of compensation to the victims, and mandated Special Courts to award interim compensation to the child victims. It also required the state government to disburse the compensation within 30 days of receiving the order. Yet, compensation remains undisbursed for extended periods, at times even for 6-7 years, diluting the very purpose of restorative and rehabilitative justice. Judicial Recognition and Persistent Gaps The Hon'ble Supreme Court also expanded the scope of Article 21 by recognising victims' right to monetary compensation through various landmark judgments. Khatri v. State of Bihar and Rudul Sah v. State of Bihar were the first to lay the foundation of 'compensation' as a public law remedy under Article 32 and 226 of the Constitution. The principle of compensatory justice was reinforced in Nilabati Behera v. State of Orissa and D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal. Accordingly, States' liability, in cases of breach of fundamental rights, especially with respect to Article 21 of the Constitution, was fastened. As a result, victim compensation became an intrinsic part of the justice delivery framework of India. However, there still remains an absence of a dedicated scheme for the child victims under POCSO. Noted by the Supreme Court around 7 years ago in Nipun Saxena Vs. 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Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Raja Raghuvanshi killed after 3 failed attempts, wife Sonam's role revealed by police
Meghalaya Honeymoon Murders: As shocking details emerge in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, Meghalaya police have disclosed that the Indore-based transporter was killed on the fourth attempt after three previous failed plots by the accused, including his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha. The murder took place during the couple's honeymoon in Meghalaya, revealing a sinister conspiracy that unfolded over several months. Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem stated in a press briefing that the first attempt to kill Raja Raghuvanshi was made in Guwahati, followed by two unsuccessful attempts in Meghalaya's Sohra (also known as Cherrapunji) region. The killers finally succeeded at Weisawdong Falls. 'They wanted to get rid of him in different places earlier. They also wanted to get rid of Raja's body somewhere in Guwahati, but it did not materialise,' Syiem explained. The conspirators had planned to eliminate Raja Raghuvanshi at various locations, including Nongriat and between Mawlakhiat and Weisawdong, but these plans failed to materialise until the fatal attack at Weisawdong. The murder was premeditated, with the accused having reached Guwahati on 19 May, ahead of Raja and Sonam, who had come to visit Kamakhya after their marriage. The initial plan to kill Raja in Guwahati was abandoned as Sonam Raghuvanshi planned to travel to Shillong and Sohra, prompting the conspirators to adjust their scheme accordingly. "Sonam and Raja reached Guwahati to visit Kamakhya after marriage. The killers had already reached on 19 May. Their initial plan was to kill Raja in Guwahati, but Sonam had planned to go to Shillong and Sohra. Therefore, this plan was shelved," the SP added. In the wake of the sensational murder case, family members of Raj Kushwaha, accused of being Sonam's boyfriend and the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, have come forward to assert his innocence. Raj's grandparents and extended family from Fatehpur district in Uttar Pradesh vehemently denied any romantic involvement between Raj and Sonam, according to a News18 report. Raj's grandmother, Ram Lalli, told News18, 'My grandson is innocent. He had nothing to do with that woman. He's being trapped. Big people can do anything." She added, 'My grandson can't kill, he gave away his slippers to the poor, how can he be a murderer." Raj's grandfather, Darbari Singh, emphasised Raj's dedication to his family and lack of any romantic history: 'He's been working hard to support his mother and three sisters ever since his father passed away five years ago. What Sonam, what affair? He only minded his own business." The family also clarified that Raj and Sonam were merely colleagues at a factory owned by Sonam's brother in Indore. 'Talking at work doesn't mean an affair," said Ram Lalli. Raj's maternal uncle, Ranjeet Singh, vouched for his character, stating, 'If even one person in the village says Raj has ever done anything wrong, hang him. But he is innocent". Police investigations have revealed that the Raja Raghuvanshi murder plot was hatched well before Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi's marriage, with Raj Kushwaha identified as the mastermind and Sonam complicit in the plan. In police custody, Sonam has claimed that she killed her husband under pressure from Raj, while Raj has insisted that Sonam planned and executed the murder herself, manipulating him into involvement. The accused had considered various methods, including making Sonam disappear and even killing another woman to pass her off as Sonam, but these plans did not come to fruition, according to police statements. All five accused, including Sonam, Raj Kushwaha, and three others, have have been arrested. The murder was not a contract killing but carried out as a favour to Raj, according to police statements.
New Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Meghalaya Honeymoon murder: Victim's kin seeks narco test on Sonam, her lover to bare 'full truth'
INDORE: The elder brother of Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based transport businessman murdered during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, on Friday demanded a narco analysis test on prime accused Sonam and Raj Kushwaha to uncover the "entire truth" behind the sensational case. Five people, including Raja Raghuvanshi's wife Sonam (25) and her alleged lover Kushwaha (20), have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi (29) in the north-eastern state last month. All of them are currently in the Meghalaya police's custody and an SIT is probing the case. Sonam is accused of getting her husband killed during their honeymoon with the help of Kushwaha and three contract killers, a case which has sent shockwaves across the country. "We want the Meghalaya police to conduct a narco test (also called truth serum test) on Sonam and Kushwaha so that the full truth behind my brother's murder comes out," Raja's elder brother Sachin Raghuvanshi told PTI in Indore. Sachin Raghuvanshi said reports coming in about the duo's interrogation suggest they may be misleading investigators by blaming each other as the mastermind of the brutal killing. "It appears Sonam and Kushwaha are colluding to misdirect the probe," he claimed. The duo could not have executed the murder conspiracy on their own, Sachin Raghuvanshi insisted. "I believe more people are involved in the conspiracy, but they are still out of police reach. Their names may surface through narco analysis," he contended.
