Pic Source: The Indian Express
Breaking News: Meghalaya police are conducting a crime scene reconstruction in Shillong.
Raja Raghuvanshi (29) and Sonam Raghuvanshi (25) from Indore married on May 11, 2025, and went on their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
Disappearance & Discovery:
The couple disappeared on May 23 during a trek in the Sohra (Cherrapunji) region of Meghalaya.
Raja’s body was later found in a deep gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls on June 2, with two fatal head injuries.
Investigation & Arrests:
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) named operation Honeymoon was launched.
June 9–10: Sonam surrendered at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, claiming she’d been drugged and kidnapped. Meghalaya Police dismissed the claim and called it fabricated.
Law enforcement uncovered a conspiracy involving Sonam, her alleged boyfriend Raj Kushwaha, and three hired men from MP/UP who carried out the murder.
1. Return to Indore
Police claim Sonam returned secretly to Indore (May 25–27), met Raj, and later traveled to Ghazipur to mislead investigators.
2. Money Trail
Investigators allege Sonam paid ₹15,000 from Raja’s wallet at the crime scene and ₹20 lakh as bounty to the killers post-murder.
3. Logistics & Escape
CCTV, phone records, and police surmise she guided killers to the site, assisted in disposing of the body, then fled via Shillong → Guwahati → Indore → UP.
4. Medical Tests & Court Proceedings
On June 11, Sonam was taken from Ghazipur to Shillong via Patna and underwent mandatory medical examination at Shillong’s Ganesh Das Hospital.
She, along with Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, Vishal Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi, was presented in court; Meghalaya police obtained a three-day transit remand.
Meghalaya police are conducting a crime scene reconstruction in Shillong.
Key Allegations & Reactions
Sonam and Raj allegedly conspired just 6 days after marriage.
Sonam’s claim of being drugged has been dismissed by Meghalaya police as a fabricated cover story, with strong counter-evidence from phone and location data.
Meghalaya’s tourism minister has demanded an apology from Sonam and Raj’s families, hinting at defamation proceedings for allegedly damaging the state’s image.
The victim’s family is calling for capital punishment, while Sonam’s family has demanded a CBI investigation, claiming a police conspiracy.
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