GG News Bureau
Indore, 9th June: Hours after surrendering to the police for allegedly orchestrating her husband’s murder during their honeymoon, a video of newlyweds Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi has surfaced, intensifying public curiosity around the chilling case. The clip shows a smiling Raja applying sindoor to Sonam’s forehead, as she stands in a red Banarasi saree—just days before the honeymoon ended in bloodshed.
The case, now being referred to as the “honeymoon murder,” has captivated national attention with its blend of romance, sudden betrayal, and a brutal killing in the hills of Meghalaya. Raja and Sonam were married on May 11 and left for their honeymoon on May 20. By June 2, Raja’s body was recovered from a gorge. Sonam is now in police custody.
Police allege that Raja was hacked to death with a machete, with five individuals including Sonam arrested in connection. Investigators are probing multiple angles, including an extramarital affair, financial motive, and a premeditated shift in their travel plans—from a spiritual visit to Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple to a suspicious detour to Shillong.
According to Raja’s brother, Vipul Raghuvanshi, the sudden change of plan was orchestrated by Sonam. She made all the travel bookings, reportedly without her family’s knowledge. She left for the airport from her paternal home, adorned in wedding jewellery. Raja, too, wore jewellery worth over ₹10 lakh, raising questions from his mother about the need for such valuables on a honeymoon.
Police are also probing large bank transactions made by Sonam before the trip. Further, her past connection to Shillong, where her family had traveled earlier, is now under scrutiny.
Adding to the intrigue, Sonam allegedly shared their location with the attackers. Police sources say she frequently spoke to Raj Kushwaha, an employee with whom she had an affair. Call records and surveillance footage form the core of the ongoing investigation, conducted jointly by police in Indore and Meghalaya.
In a dramatic twist, Sonam was arrested from a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, where she tried to contact her family. Her alleged accomplices—Raj Kushwaha (21), Akash Rajput (19), Vikash Singh Chauhan (20), and Anand Kurmi—were tracked down in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Investigators believe it was Anand who first attacked Raja, with the murder planned to look like a tragic accident.
The case continues to unravel as the police dig deeper into motives, digital trails, and testimonies, while a grieving family in Indore awaits justice.
