In the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, the police filed a case following the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore resident, during his honeymoon in Meghalaya. Here is a summary of the key details based on available information:
- Incident Overview: Raja Raghuvanshi, aged 29, and his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, aged 24, went missing on May 23, 2025, while on their honeymoon in Meghalaya’s Sohra (Cherrapunji) area. Raja’s body was found on June 2, 2025, in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls, with injuries indicating murder by a sharp weapon, likely a machete. Sonam was initially reported missing but surfaced on June 9, 2025, in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh.
- Police Investigation and Filing:
- Initial Response: After the couple was reported missing, the Meghalaya Police, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Special Operations Team (SOT), launched a search operation. A police drone spotted Raja’s body in a gorge, identified by a smartwatch. A bloodstained machete and a black field coat were recovered, indicating foul play.
- Formation of SIT: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by SP (City) East Khasi Hills Herbert Pynniaid Kharkongor was constituted to investigate the murder. The SIT included 120 officers, with a core team of 20, and utilized CCTV footage and local intelligence.
- Key Evidence: A crucial clue was Sonam’s mangalsutra and ring left in a suitcase at a homestay in Sohra, raising suspicion as it was unusual for a newlywed to abandon such items. A tourist guide, Albert Pde, reported seeing the couple with three Hindi-speaking men on May 23, which directed the investigation toward external involvement.
- Arrests and Charges: On June 9, 2025, Sonam surrendered at Nandganj Police Station in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, claiming she was drugged and brought there. However, police alleged she orchestrated Raja’s murder, hiring three contract killers—Akash Rajpoot, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi—along with her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha. All four were arrested, with three apprehended in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and one in Uttar Pradesh. The police filed charges based on confessions from the accused, who admitted to the crime, and evidence suggesting premeditation.
- Motive and Execution: Investigations revealed Sonam was allegedly in a relationship with Raj Kushwaha, an employee at her father’s plywood factory. She reportedly planned the murder to eliminate Raja and later marry Kushwaha, intending to stage the incident as a robbery gone wrong. The murder occurred on May 23, 2025, at Weisawdong Falls, where Sonam allegedly distracted Raja by pretending to take photos while the killers attacked him from behind and disposed of his body in the gorge.
- Court Proceedings: On June 11, 2025, a Shillong court granted eight-day police custody for Sonam and her four aides, despite the police requesting a 10-day remand. The SIT sought custody to reconstruct the crime scene in Sohra.
- Additional Details:
- The police recovered a non-local machete, suggesting the involvement of outsiders. Sonam’s phone, which could confirm her communication with Kushwaha, remains missing.
- Sonam’s family, particularly her father, Devi Singh, contested the police narrative, claiming her innocence and alleging she was abducted. They demanded a CBI inquiry, accusing the Meghalaya Police of fabricating the case. Raja’s family initially suspected foul play and also requested a CBI probe before Sonam’s arrest.
- Meghalaya Police clarified that Sonam’s surrender followed raids and the arrest of Kushwaha and others, suggesting she acted under pressure. The investigation spanned three states: Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Official Statements: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong praised the police for solving the case within seven days of finding Raja’s body, countering earlier family allegations of inefficiency. Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh described it as a love triangle involving contract killers.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem during a press conference on the Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi case, in East Khasi Hills on Monday. Source Photo: etv bharat
The police filing centers on charges of murder and conspiracy against Sonam Raghuvanshi and her accomplices, supported by physical evidence, witness accounts, and confessions, though the investigation continues to locate additional suspects and recover missing evidence like Sonam’s phone.
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