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Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Indian Express
Meghalaya DGP indicates there could be more to honeymoon murder — ‘Motive doesn't sit very well'
The Meghalaya Police are still probing to unearth a motive beyond the one the relationship between the accused Raj Kushwaha and Sonam Raghuvanshi, Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang said Monday as police investigation into the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi. At a press briefing, the DGP said that the motive currently cited in the case 'doesn't sit very well'. Raja was hacked to death on May 23 while honeymooning in the northeastern state. His wife Sonam, her boyfriend Raj and three hitmen were arrested in connection with the murder on June 9. 'I find it very difficult to accept the motive given by the accused… I am looking to see if there's anything additional because I find it very difficult to believe that a person would generate so much animosity that within a couple of days of marriage you plot to kill a person… On the surface, it appears to be a love triangle but personally I wouldn't believe that it's the only motive,' she said. She said that the investigation is probing all possible angles. 'The investigation is going on, a lot of the loose ends are being tied up and we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the investigation is foolproof and that we have a very solid case. We have enough evidence and are working to ensure that the case is chargesheeted within the mandated time,' she said. This comes at a time when a video showing Raja trekking through a forest with Sonam has now surfaced, capturing his final hours before he was killed by hired assassins in Meghalaya's treacherous terrain. The footage, recorded by an unsuspecting tourist on May 23 at approximately 9:45 am, shows the couple trekking up a steep mountain path in Meghalaya's lush landscape. Tourist Dev Singh, who was descending the same trail, captured the pair climbing steadily upward—with the prime suspect, Sonam Raghuvanshi, leading the way in a distinctive white T-shirt, her husband Raja following close behind. The white T-shirt she was wearing would later be discovered by Meghalaya police near the crime scene. The tourist who shot the video, Dev Singh wrote on Instagram: 'Yesterday, I was checking videos and I found a recording of the Indore couple. It was around 9:45 am when we were going down, and the couple was going up. I think this was the last recording of the couple, and Sonam was wearing the same white T-shirt, which was found near Raja. I hope this will also help Meghalaya police in connecting the dots.' He added with obvious distress: 'Every time I watched Raja in the video, I felt very bad about him. He was looking normal but unaware of what would be waiting for him'. Following the questioning of the accused, the police said the newlywed couple checked out of Shipara Homestay in Nongriat at 5:30 am, setting out for what Raja believed would be a romantic trek through Cherrapunji's scenic trails just 30 minutes later. Unknown to Raja, three hired killers—Anand Kurmi, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Chauhan—had allegedly checked out of their nearby accommodation at precisely the same time, shadowing the couple's every move as part of an elaborate murder plot orchestrated by his own wife and her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha. By 10:00 am, after completing approximately 2,000 steps along the treacherous mountain path, fate intervened. The couple allegedly encountered the three assassins at a predetermined location, with a local guide later reporting he had spotted all five individuals together, noting how Sonam had begun walking conspicuously behind the group as the killers engaged her husband in conversation. At 12:30 pm, in what would prove to be a calculated deception, Sonam allegedly called Raja's mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, complaining of exhaustion from the demanding trek. Raja himself allegedly spoke to his mother during this call—their final conversation forever etched in tragedy. Just one hour later, the group of five allegedly drove from Mawlakhiat to the parking area near Wei Sawdong Waterfalls. There, in the isolated wilderness, the hired killers allegedly murdered Raja before disposing of his body in a remote gorge. What initially appeared to be a missing person''s case took a sinister turn on June 2 when police discovered Raja's remains, immediately launching a murder investigation. The web of deception began unravelling on the night of June 7, when the 'missing' wife was allegedly found unconscious at a roadside dhaba in Ghazipur.
NDTV
16-06-2025
- NDTV
Hours Before Murder, Sonam, Raja Raghuvanshi Seen Trekking In Meghalaya
New Delhi: Hours before Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi's murder, he and his wife, Sonam (the prime accused), were seen trekking on a steep peak in the lush mountains of Meghalaya. A video shot by a tourist "accidentally" captured the Raghuvanshis climbing the hill on May 23 around 9:45 am. Raja was murdered and dumped into a gorge in the afternoon, the same day, by three killers - hired by Sonam and her lover, Raj Kushwaha. The tourist, Dev Singh, posted the video on Instagram in which Sonam was leading the way up the hill, with Raja following her. She was seen wearing a white t-shirt - which was found by the Meghalaya police near the crime scene. She was also carrying a polythene bag, which reportedly had a raincoat inside. This was the same time when Sonam's three accomplices were following them. "Yesterday, I was checking videos and I found a recording of the Indore couple. It was around 9:45 am when we were going down, and the couple was going up. I think this was the last recording of the couple, and Sonam was wearing the same white t-shirt, which was found near Raja. I hope this will also help Meghalaya police in connecting the dots," Mr Singh wrote on Instagram. He added, "Every time I watched Raja in the video, I felt very bad about him. He was looking normal but unaware of what would be waiting for him." Sources familiar with the sequence of events leading to the grisly murder on May 23 said the newlywed couple had checked out of a hotel - Shipara Homestay - in Nongriat at around 5.30 am and set out on a trek in Cherrapunji half an hour later. Sonam's three accomplices, who were staying at a nearby homestay, also checked out around the same time. Around 10 am, Sonam and Raja completed around 2,000 steps along the trek route when they met the three killers - Anand Kurmi, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Chauhan. A local guide - whose alertness later helped the cops - had spotted the five together. According to sources, as the hitmen and Raja began talking, Sonam gradually slowed down and started walking behind them. Around 12:30 pm, Sonam called Raja's mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, and told her that she was exhausted due to the trek. Raja also spoke to his mother - in their last conversation. An hour later, the group of five (Raja, Sonam, and the three hitmen) drove from Mawlakhiat to the parking lot at Wei Sawdong Waterfalls. Upon reaching, the hitmen killed Raja and threw his body into a gorge. The newlywed couple was initially reported "missing". But on June 2, cops found Raja's body, turning a missing persons investigation into a murder probe. On the night of June 7, the 'missing' wife was found in an unconscious state at a 'dhaba' in Ghazipur. She was taken to the Ghazipur Medical College for treatment, where she surrendered before the police, and was subsequently taken into custody.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Honeymoon horror: Raja, Sonam paid Rs 1,380 for stay, last dinner at Nongriat homestay in Meghalaya
A day before he was murdered, Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi and his now-arrested wife, Sonam, had disappeared for several hours after checking into a homestay here before returning late for dinner, its owner said on Friday. The Indore couple checked in at our property on May 22 and ordered a coffee each, Constantine , the owner of Shipara Homestay, told PTI. "They then went out without a guide. I assume they went to see the root bridge like every other tourist who came to the village," he said, adding that Raja had paid Rs 1,000 for the room, Rs 80 for the coffee and Rs 300 for dinner. The couple, who had not made any prior room reservations for their trip to Meghalaya, earlier did not get a room at a homestay in Sohra in East Khasi Hills district, which forced them to trek from Mawlakhiat to Nongriat, also in the same district, with the help of a guide, villagers said. Interestingly, despite Sonam's claim to her mother-in-law over the phone that she was fasting, Constantine said both had a "very good dinner", which they enjoyed. Live Events Another villager saw the couple near the root bridge before dark. Constantine said he recalled the face of Raja when he saw it later on social media . However, he added that he did not notice the presence of the three hitmen - friends of Sonam's lover - who allegedly took part in the murder. At the homestay, Raja and Sonam occupied one of the five available rooms. Constantine recalled their unusual behaviour the next morning (May 23). "It was unusually early for our guests to wake up that early (5am). They knocked on our door and I had to wake up my wife to enquire if they needed breakfast. They refused and told me they wanted to check out," he said. Raghuvanshi and his wife went missing while vacationing in Sohra the same day. His body was found in a gorge on June 2. Constantine said he was not aware of where the three other accomplices stayed. Meanwhile, Sonam, Raj (accused of being the main conspirator), and the three alleged hitmen were being held at Sadar police station in Shillong, where they were served North Indian food. A senior police officer said that considering their food habits, which are unlike the local food preferences here, the accused were served simple North Indian food and were also given another set of clothes.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Honeymoon horror: Raja, Sonam paid ₹1,380 for stay, last dinner at Nongriat homestay in Meghalaya
Nongriat , A day before he was murdered, Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi and his now-arrested wife, Sonam, had disappeared for several hours after checking into a homestay here before returning late for dinner, its owner said on Friday. The Indore couple checked in at our property on May 22 and ordered a coffee each, Constantine, the owner of Shipara Homestay, told PTI. "They then went out without a guide. I assume they went to see the root bridge like every other tourist who came to the village," he said, adding that Raja had paid ₹1,000 for the room, ₹80 for the coffee and ₹300 for dinner. The couple, who had not made any prior room reservations for their trip to Meghalaya, earlier did not get a room at a homestay in Sohra in East Khasi Hills district, which forced them to trek from Mawlakhiat to Nongriat, also in the same district, with the help of a guide, villagers said. Interestingly, despite Sonam's claim to her mother-in-law over the phone that she was fasting, Constantine said both had a "very good dinner", which they enjoyed. Another villager saw the couple near the root bridge before dark. Constantine said he recalled the face of Raja when he saw it later on social media. However, he added that he did not notice the presence of the three hitmen — friends of Sonam's lover — who allegedly took part in the murder. At the homestay, Raja and Sonam occupied one of the five available rooms. Constantine recalled their unusual behaviour the next morning . "It was unusually early for our guests to wake up that early . They knocked on our door and I had to wake up my wife to enquire if they needed breakfast. They refused and told me they wanted to check out," he said. Raghuvanshi and his wife went missing while vacationing in Sohra the same day. His body was found in a gorge on June 2. Constantine said he was not aware of where the three other accomplices stayed. Meanwhile, Sonam, Raj , and the three alleged hitmen were being held at Sadar police station in Shillong, where they were served North Indian food. A senior police officer said that considering their food habits, which are unlike the local food preferences here, the accused were served simple North Indian food and were also given another set of clothes.
NDTV
10-06-2025
- NDTV
Op Honeymoon Details: How Sonam Escaped After Husband's Murder, Reached UP
Shillong: The murder of Raja Raghuvanshi allegedly by his wife Sonam and her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha during their honeymoon in Meghalaya remains one of the country's most intriguing murder mysteries. NDTV has now accessed exclusive details about Operation Honeymoon that Meghalaya police undertook to track Sonam and her alleged associates. Raja and Sonam were last seen checking out of Shipara Homestay in Meghalaya's Nongriat village on May 23. His body was found in a gorge on June 2. Sonam surfaced a week later in Uttar Pradesh to face charges that she and her boyfriend had hired three hitmen - Akash, Anand, and Vikash - to kill Raja. Sources in the police team that cracked the case have revealed the chain of events that seek to establish Sonam's whereabouts after the murder, as the cops try to establish the prime suspect's modus operandi. How Sonam Escaped Sonam and Raj had made the murder plan just a few days after her May 11 wedding with Raja. Nine days later, on May 20, they left for Meghalaya for their honeymoon. A day later, they were in the state capital Shillong. The hitmen arrived in Guwahati on May 21. From there, they reached Shillong on May 22, following Sonam and Raja. The murder apparently occurred on May 23, the day the couple went untraceable. Sonam was seen about 10 kilometres away from the crime location, and the murder occurred before her, sources said. It was Sonam who had directed the hitmen to kill Raja, the three accused have claimed. After the murder, all four accused assembled 11 kilometers away from the crime scene (Raj did not travel to Meghalaya). Sonam then reached Guwahati from where she left for her hometown by train. She arrived in Indore on May 25 and met Raj, who had arranged a room on rent for her to stay. Raj, meanwhile, stayed in another hotel nearby. They later arranged a car that took her to Uttar Pradesh, said sources. Sonam surrendered in Ghazipur late at night on June 8, with police claiming that she was found in a distraught state and with a fever. Operation Honeymoon Meghalaya cops began Operation Honeymoon and formed a 20-member core team among the 120 personnel investigating the case. They carried out raids at the suspects' locations on June 7 and checked the profiles of the three suspected killers who were seen with Sonam. The accused were seen in about 42 footage from the area in Indore where they were staying. During their investigation, the police found that the couple had bought a machete from a shop outside their hotel in Guwahati. It is likely the same weapon that was used to kill Raja and was found near his body. What appeared odd in the investigation was that the couple did not take any photos together. No photos were shared on social media. This is where the cops suspected something was amiss, said sources. At 2:15 pm on May 23, Sonam allegedly used Raja's social media account to post that their union was for seven lives. Sonam was already among the suspects since Raja's body was found, but the dramatic post convinced the cops that her behaviour wasn't normal. The cops had also found Akash's shirt soaked in blood at the crime scene. Sonam had given him her raincoat that was found 6 km away from there, sources said, claiming this was part of her plan to mislead the police.
