What started as a romantic getaway ended in murder. Raja’s bride, Sonam, allegedly conspired with her lover and hired hitmen to kill her husband during their honeymoon in the hills of Meghalaya.
By PC Bureau
June 19, 2025: — A chilling twist in the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya has revealed a web of deception orchestrated by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, and her lover, Raj Kushwaha. Police investigations have uncovered that Sonam made 239 phone calls to a contact listed as “Sanjay Verma” in the weeks leading up to and following her May 11 wedding to Raja, only for authorities to discover that “Sanjay Verma” was a pseudonym for Kushwaha, her alleged co-conspirator and mastermind behind the brutal killing. The case, initially reported as a missing couple, has gripped India with its shocking betrayal and meticulous planning across three states.
A Trail of Calls and Deception
Meghalaya Police, in collaboration with authorities in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, accessed call records showing that Sonam, 24, exchanged 239 calls with “Sanjay Verma” between March 1 and April 8, 2025, each lasting 30 to 60 minutes. These frequent and lengthy conversations, totaling over 7,000 minutes, raised suspicions about Sonam’s intentions, especially given her recent marriage to Raja, 29, a respected transport businessman from Indore. On June 18, police confirmed that “Sanjay Verma” was an alias used by Raj Kushwaha, 21, an accountant at the plywood and furniture sheet business owned by Sonam’s family, where she also worked in human resources. “Sonam deliberately saved Raj’s number under a false name to avoid arousing suspicion,” said Meghalaya Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang, adding that Kushwaha’s phone was last active on WhatsApp on June 8, the day Sonam surrendered, and four accomplices were arrested.
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Sonam’s brother, Govind, claimed ignorance of the alias, telling reporters on June 18, “I don’t know anything about Sanjay Verma. I learned today that his name is coming up in this.” His statement, reported by ANI, reflects the shock within Sonam’s family, who have since disowned her, with Govind publicly apologizing to Raja’s family and stating, “What she has done is beyond forgiveness.”
A Honeymoon Turned Deadly
Raja and Sonam, married on May 11 in a ceremony arranged through a matrimonial app, appeared to be a typical couple from Indore’s middle-class Sahkar Nagar. Raja, the youngest of three brothers, managed Raghuvanshi Transport, a family business providing buses to schools and institutes. Sonam, a graduate, worked alongside her father, Devi Singh, in their plywood business, where she met Kushwaha two years prior. Despite her ongoing affair with Kushwaha, the wedding proceeded with the consent of both families, who had met multiple times. However, Raja’s family later alleged that Sonam showed little interest in him before the marriage, with his mother, Uma, recalling, “My son told me, ‘Mummy, she is not showing any interest. I don’t want to marry her.’”
The couple’s honeymoon, originally planned for Kashmir but switched to Meghalaya due to security concerns, began on May 20. They arrived in Shillong, checked into Balaji Guest House, and rented a scooter to explore the scenic Sohra (Cherrapunji) region. On May 23, they vanished after checking out of a homestay in Nongriat village. A local guide, Albert Pde, reported seeing them with three unidentified men that day, a crucial lead that shifted the investigation toward foul play. On June 2, Raja’s decomposed body was found in a 200-foot-deep gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls, bearing multiple sharp injuries, including two fatal machete wounds to the head. The couple’s abandoned scooter, found in Sohrarim on May 24, further fueled suspicions.
Sonam, lover Raj plotted honeymoon murder of Raja in Meghalaya. 234 secret calls exposed.
Read more on https://t.co/xepRdspdcF#MurderMystery #IndiaNews #Crime #Meghalaya #Honeymoon #Justice #Betrayal #TrueCrime #Indore #NDTV #WifeKillsHusband #CallRecords #RajKushwaha… pic.twitter.com/WPUzG4MKDD
— shorts91 (@shorts_91) June 19, 2025
A Calculated Conspiracy
Meghalaya Police’s Operation Honeymoon, launched on June 7, unraveled a meticulously planned contract killing. Sonam, with Kushwaha’s guidance, allegedly hired three hitmen—Akash Rajput, 19, Vishal Singh Chauhan, 22, and Anand Kurmi—to kill Raja for ₹20 lakh, with an initial payment of ₹4 lakh facilitated by Sonam’s cousin, Jitendra Raghuvanshi, via UPI. The hitmen, recruited from Indore and Uttar Pradesh, traveled to Guwahati by train and purchased a machete (locally called a “dao”) near the railway station before heading to Meghalaya. The murder took place on May 23 in a secluded area near Wei Sawdong Falls, chosen for its remoteness. Sonam reportedly gave the signal for the attack, fled when Vishal struck Raja with the machete, and returned only after he was dead. A second machete, recently recovered, confirmed the brutality of the assault.
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Police evidence includes a blood-stained raincoat belonging to Sonam, a jacket worn by Akash with Raja’s blood, and CCTV footage showing Sonam speaking to the hitmen 10 kilometers from the crime scene. A damning social media post from Raja’s account on May 23, reading “Saat janmon ka saath (Together for seven lifetimes),” was allegedly posted by Sonam after the murder, adding to the deception. Sonam’s claim of being abducted was contradicted by her travel records: she fled to Indore via Siliguri by train on May 25, stayed in a rented flat leased by Vishal from May 30, met Kushwaha, and then traveled 2,000 kilometers to Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, where she surrendered on June 8 at Nandganj police station, appearing “dazed” at a dhaba.
Conflicting Narratives and Family Fallout
During interrogations, Sonam and Kushwaha have pointed fingers at each other, complicating the investigation. Sonam claimed she was coerced, while Kushwaha, who remained in Indore to maintain an alibi, insisted she initiated the plan. Shillong SP Vivek Syiem confirmed on June 12 that “all accused have confessed,” with Sonam admitting her role on June 11. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing additional motives, including financial gain, as Raja’s mother alleged Sonam took ₹9 lakh and expensive jewelry for the trip. Raja’s brother, Sachin, claimed Sonam married Raja to remove her “mangal dosh” (an astrological curse), intending to kill him to be with Kushwaha.
Sonam’s father, Devi Singh, has rejected the accusations, alleging his daughter was abducted and demanding a CBI inquiry, claiming, “Meghalaya Police is making up stories.” However, her family has distanced itself, with Govind meeting Raja’s mother, Uma, in Indore to apologize, saying, “Sonam should be hanged if guilty.” Raja’s family, devastated, has demanded justice, with Uma stating, “Sonam planned the honeymoon and betrayed my son.”
A National Scandal
The case has sparked outrage across India, with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma praising the police for their swift action, noting, “Within seven days, a major breakthrough was achieved.” Minister Alexander Laloo Hek condemned attempts to malign Meghalaya’s image, as initial speculation wrongly blamed local elements. The SIT continues to investigate, with one additional suspect still at large. The accused, remanded to eight days’ custody on June 11, face charges of murder and conspiracy, with the trial expected to draw intense scrutiny.
The Meghalaya honeymoon murder, spanning Indore, Guwahati, and Ghazipur, has exposed a chilling tale of love, betrayal, and cold-blooded planning. As Sonam’s 239 calls to “Sanjay Verma” lay bare her double life, the nation awaits answers on what drove a newlywed to orchestrate such a heinous crime in the misty hills of Meghalaya.
