The murder case of 29-year-old businessman Raja Raghuvanshi of Indore has turned into a horrific story of betrayal. On 2nd June, his body was discovered in a gorge close to Meghalaya’s Weisawdong Falls along with the murder weapon. According to reports, it was a well planned action that was carried out by his “missing wife” Sonam Raghuvanshi (27).
She is accused of employing contract killers to execute the shocking crime which was initially perceived as the outcome of a robbery gone wrong. The couple had been missing for 18 days during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. They were married only last month and disappeared while traveling in Sohra on 23rd May, just 50 kilometres away from Shillong.
She was caught from a resturant in Ghazipur of Uttar Pradesh after her relatives alerted the authorities to her presence. “I was kidnapped, I am the victim,” she reportedly told the owner. Three of the assassins she hired from Madhya Pradesh were taken into custody after days of search involving multiple agencies that comprised scouring a rough and forested area in the northeastern state.
“One person was picked up from UP, and another two accused were apprehended from Indore by the SIT (Special Investigation Team). The accused have named some more persons. They revealed that the victim’s wife had hired them. Sonam surrendered at the Nandganj police station in UP and was subsequently arrested,” informed Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang.
Within 7 days a major breakthrough has been achieved by the #meghalayapolice in the Raja murder case … 3 assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered and operation still on to catch 1 more assailant .. well done #meghalayapolice
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) June 9, 2025
Three accused have been identified as Vicky Thakur, Anand and Akash. The arrested mastermind, Raj Kushwaha maintained continuous communication with Sonam throughout the period preceding the murder. Authorities are looking into whether the two are in a relationship. According to other reports, Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan and Akash Rajput were captured.
According to Vipul Raghuvanshi, Raja Raghuvanshi’s brother, Raj was not merely a friend but also her employee. “I have never seen Raj Kushwaha till now, I have just heard his name. Sonam can be involved in this,” he conveyed.
#WATCH | Indore, MP: On Sonam Raghuvanshi found near Ghazipur, UP, Vipul Raghuvanshi, brother of Raja Raghuvanshi, says, "… I had no idea about those 3-4 people till the time I did not know their names… Raj Kushwaha's name has come forward, which means Sonam can be involved… pic.twitter.com/Y5iVFb6Ik1
— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025
Vipul also pointed out that Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi’s intention was solely to travel to Assam to offer prayers at the Goddess Kamakhya Temple. “We don’t know who out of the two planned their visit to Meghalaya. They did not book any return tickets,” he added.
“Sonam surrendered under pressure last night, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to four. One accused remains absconding. Sonam will be brought back to Meghalaya for court proceedings,” highlighted Meghalaya Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dalton P. Marak.
A rejected tour guide helps autorities to crack the case
On 22nd May Albert Pde, a trekking guide in the Nongriat village offered his services to the newlyweds, however, they took another guide. He then noticed them again the next day climbing the 3,000 steps back to Mawlakhiat with three unidentified men.
On 7th June he told the police, “I saw the couple with three men on the way up. The men were walking ahead and the woman was behind them. They were speaking in Hindi,” providing investigators with a new piece of information in the case which became central to the probe.
On 3rd June, a damaged cell phone and a machete were last collected by the authorities from the canyon where the body was deteced by a drone. However, they continued to struggle to make headway despite an airborne effort to track Sonam.
The search was conducted by volunteers from the West Jaiñtia Hills Adventurers and Mountaineering Association, the State Disaster Response Force, the National Disaster Response Force as well as the Meghalaya Police, fire and emergency services along with dog squads.
The machete, according to an investigator, did not look like the ones that are customarily used in Meghalaya. Its handle was made of plastic rather than wood, which is unusual for sharp objects made locally. Police reported Sonam’s disappearance as strange and unexplained and the machete was sent for forensic analysis to determine whether it was used in her husband’s death.
Police believed his death was not an accident and suspected foul play. The matter was investigated by a Special Investigation Team. The couple’s rental scooter was uncovered abandoned at Sohrarim, around 25 kilometers from the gorge, with the key hanging from the ignition despite the intense wind and rain.
The corpse, recognized by a tattoo on his right hand that read “Raja,” was found together with a white shirt, medication, a smartwatch and a piece of a phone screen.
According to her father, Sonam came to Ghazipur on the night of 8th June and phoned her brother who notified the police and they caught her. Meghalaya police stated that she turned herself in under pressure at the Nandganj police station while Uttar Pradesh police informed they found her at the Kashi Dhaba in Nandganj with a slight fever. Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajiv Krishna stated that Sonam will be turned over to Indore Police as soon as they arrive in Ghazipur.
