Raja Raghuvanshi Honeymoon Murder Case, Missing Indian bride arrested for allegedly murdering husband on honeymoon

 

The newly-wed couple from Indore city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh had chosen Meghalaya for their honeymoon.  The couple had married on 11 May in Indore in a ceremony blessed by both their families.

 According to the other brother of Raja, Vipin Raghuvanshi, "their marriage was arranged four months back and they were both happy and there had been no fights between the couple before or after marriage." The couple left for Meghalaya on 20 May.  However, after four days on the road, they vanished. The couple was sought out by locals who were accompanied by disaster relief and police teams. Rescuers were seen in the area in videos rappelling down cliffs and hills in mist-covered valleys. Rain and poor visibility, according to officials, were hindering the search efforts. A week later, Raja's decayed body was discovered in a ravine with his throat cut and his wallet, gold ring, and chain all missing. Additionally, Sonam had vanished without a trace. Their families mounted a huge campaign, accusing the Meghalaya police of not doing enough to solve Raja's murder or find Sonam - an accusation contested by the state's chief minister.

The couple's families demanded that the case be handed over to the federal police for a proper investigation and met influential caste leaders and federal ministers in their home state to lobby for this.

They also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday requesting that Raja receive justice and Sonam be located.

Here are 5 fresh details on Raja Raghuvanshi murder:

1. Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder Mystery: 

On May 23, Raja Raghuvanshi's body was dumped in a nearby gorge in the Sohra area of the East Khasi Hills district after being hacked to death in a parking lot near Weisawdong Falls. Raja and his wife, Sonam, were on their honeymoon when he was killed allegedly by three hitmen – Vishal, Anand and Akash - sent by her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha, who is also one of the arrested people.

Although Raj Kushwaha is the mastermind of the murder, he did not come to Meghalaya.  After a police officer dressed as Raja Raghuvanshi reconstructed the crime scene, startling details of the murder surfaced.

2. Prime Accused: Wife Sonam Raghuvanshi

The primary suspect in the crime is Sonam, the victim's newlywed wife. The police claim that she coordinated the slaying with the assistance of her alleged boyfriend and three others. According to reports, Sonam offered hired killers 20 lakh while pretending to be worn out on a hike so that she could retreat and signal her husband's attack. She allegedly coordinated the plan while maintaining the guise of a honeymoon.

Police have taken her into custody after she mysteriously showed up at a dhaba in Ghazipur on June 9 despite initially claiming she was abducted and denying involvement. The Meghalaya Police brought her to Guwahati on Tuesday, and she will be transported to Shillong for further proceedings.

3. Brutal sequence of blows

Raja was struck three times. The first one was made by Vishal from the back while Sonam was in front of him.  The accused delivered a significant blow with both hands. The second blow came from Anand, and Akash delivered the final blow.

4. Love Triangle or Contract Killing?

While early theories pointed to a love triangle involving Sonam, investigators now suspect a more complex motive behind the murder.

There is evidence to suggest Sonam signaled the plan's execution from the parking lot near Riat Arliang. However, the police aren't ruling out any financial motivations, such as the possibility of a paid hit or a dispute over property. Sonam reportedly showed no emotional reaction during interrogation.  She responded to questions without hesitation but did not express regret, which raised suspicions regarding the premeditated nature of the offense.

5. Over 100 calls to alias before marriage

Before getting married to Raja, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem claims that Sonam made more than 100 calls to a person who was identified as Sanjay Verma. Police discovered that Raj Kushwaha, Sonam's alleged boyfriend and the main conspirator behind the murder, was using an alias for Sanjay Verma during their investigation. Even after the marriage, the calls continued, prompting early suspicions regarding Sonam's involvement.