Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya): What was supposed to be a picture-perfect honeymoon in the hills of Meghalaya turned into a premeditated murder plot so cold-blooded, it has left the country stunned. Eleven days after tying the knot, 29-year-old transport businessman Raja Raghuwanshi was found dead in a forest gorge near Shillong. His newlywed wife, Sonam Raghuwanshi, is now in custody as the prime suspect who allegedly orchestrated his killing with clinical precision.
As layers of this twisted tale unravel, here are eight questions that piece together what really happened – from the conspiracy to the cover-up and the bizarre surrender that has raised even more eyebrows.
1. Why did Sonam want her husband killed?
Behind the carefully staged wedding and social media smiles was a messy love triangle. Sonam, a 24-year-old HR executive from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly in a long-standing relationship with Raj Kushwaha, a former employee of her father’s company. Despite the arranged marriage to Raja, Sonam reportedly told Raj she would “remove” Raja from the picture so they could be together.
Even before the wedding, Raja had sensed something was wrong. According to his mother, he had doubts after Sonam avoided meeting him and even considered calling the wedding off. But the marriage went ahead on May 11, 2025. Eleven days later, Raja was dead.
2. How did Sonam plan the murder?
Shortly after the wedding, Sonam returned to her parental home and connected with Raj, who allegedly introduced her to three of his friends – Akash Rajput, Vishal Chauhan and Anand Kurmi. Together, they hatched a plan.
Sonam bought two new SIM cards, one of which was passed on to Vishal. She handed over Rs 50,000 against cash allegedly to fund the operation. On May 20, Raj and the three men reached the railway station, but Raj himself never boarded the train. Instead, he gave the SIM card to Vishal and allegedly sent the trio to execute the plan.
By May 23, Sonam and Raja had reached Shillong for their honeymoon. Under the pretext of a photo shoot, Sonam allegedly led Raja into the forested Korsha Hills. There, the hired men allegedly ambushed him. Vishal is said to have made the first strike. The group then allegedly dumped Raja’s body into a ravine and walked away as if nothing had happened.
3. What clues led the police to Sonam and her co-conspirators?
It was the small details that cracked the case:
The “fasting” lie: Sonam allegedly told her mother-in-law that she was fasting on May 23, but the guesthouse owner saw her enjoying a full meal alone.
No honeymoon photos: Despite being on a romantic trip, not one picture of the couple appeared online. Only one post surfaced that day – a cryptic caption: “Together for seven lifetimes.”
The blood soaked jacket: A red-and-blue jacket worn by Sonam in CCTV footage was later recovered from the forest, stained with blood.
Murder weapon: A hatchet-like blade, unusual for local use, was allegedly found near the crime scene. The police suspected outsider involvement.
The guide’s tip-off: A local guide reportedly confirmed seeing Sonam and Raja with three other men speaking Hindi – a clue that led the police to the suspects.
4. Why didn’t Raj go to Shillong himself?
There are two possibilities, say investigators. Either Raj wanted to keep his hands clean and avoid suspicion. He even attended Raja’s funeral in Indore. Or he had a last-minute change of heart. His sister told the media that Raj cried uncontrollably after the cremation that suggests guilt.
5. How did Sonam travel all the way to Ghazipur after the murder?
After the crime, Sonam allegedly returned to Indore via Siliguri. She reportedly stayed with Raj at his rented flat. A few days later, a hired driver dropped her in Varanasi. From there, she took a bus to Ghazipur, where she called her brother – eventually leading to her arrest on June 9.
6. Why did she surrender at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur?
This move has baffled investigators and the public alike. Ghazipur happens to be where Raj Kushwaha’s family originally hailed from before moving to Indore. Was Sonam seeking refuge or simply staging a “dramatic surrender”? Locals claim she appeared calm and composed at the eatery, and one woman on the bus later told Raja’s family that Sonam had pretended to be a helpless widow.
7. What was the couple’s plan after the murder?
Sonam allegedly wanted to spin the story as a robbery-gone-wrong. In Ghazipur, she told people that her husband was killed by robbers in Shillong, and she barely escaped with her life. In the police custody, she now claims she was kidnapped and drugged.
The police believe Sonam and Raj hoped her “widow” status would open the door for their eventual marriage, and even her strict father would then approve.
8. What happens next?
The Ghazipur court has granted the Meghalaya Police a 72-hour transit remand for Sonam and the three suspected hired killers. While the exact charges and the main accused designation are still under wraps, the police are gathering watertight evidence before presenting them in the Shillong court.
Meanwhile, Raja’s family is not buying the widow act. “She walked off that bus like she was going shopping,” his brother said. The family may also demand a deeper probe, possibly an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Sonam’s family, on the other hand, insists she is innocent. They might move court for an independent inquiry.
