Bhopal, June 9: The case of a missing honeymooning couple -- Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi -- from Indore quickly turned into a chilling mystery involving the murder of Raja and disappearance of his wife Sonam. Late on Sunday night, Sonam arrived at a roadside dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh – exhausted, and eventually "surrendered".

She borrowed a phone and called her family, breaking down as she spoke. A woman nearby tried to comfort her, but the weight of the past seventeen days was too much.

Moments later, her brother contacted the police, setting off a chain of events that would reveal one of the most shocking murder cases in recently crime history.

Sonam, the newly-wed wife of Indore transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, had disappeared after his brutal killing in Shillong since May 24.

The couple had left for Assam and Meghalaya on May 20. Now, she was found alone, over a thousand kilometers away from the crime scene, raising more questions than answers.

Meghalaya’s Director General of Police, Idashisha Nongrang, made a startling claim -- Sonam had planned her husband’s murder, hiring professional killers to carry it out.

The revelation sent shockwaves through the investigation, turning the case into a tangled web of betrayal and deception. Her father, Devi Singh, refused to subscribe the accusations, insisting that his daughter was innocent.

But the evidence was mounting. Five suspects had already been detained. Raj Kushwaha and Vishal Chauhan were caught in Indore, while Akash Rajput was apprehended nearby. Anand Kurmi was tracked down in Basari village in Bina, and Akash Lodhi was detained in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh between Saturday and Sunday.

Each of them was now under intense interrogation, their connections to the crime being examined.

Sonam remained in the ‘One Stop Center’ in Uttar Pradesh, awaiting the arrival of Meghalaya Police. Uttar Pradesh officials had not questioned her, leaving the investigation entirely in the hands of Shillong police authorities.

Each revelation in the case added to the tension. Families grieved, suspects were questioned, and investigators searched for the truth in a maze of conflicting testimonies.

Sonam and Raja’s marriage had been arranged through a society’s introduction booklet.

Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, recalled how the families had met and how the match had seemed perfect.

The couple married on May 11 and left for their honeymoon on May 20.

Their journey first took them to “Maa Kamakhya temple” in Guwahati before they continued to Shillong on May 23. Initially, they remained in contact with their family, but soon, communication was lost.

Vipin, Raja’s brother, recalled that both Raja and Sonam’s phones had been switched off since May 24, raising concerns among their loved ones.

Alarmed by the sudden silence, Vipin and Sonam’s brother, Govind, decided to travel to Shillong to search for them. On May 25, they drove from Indore to Bhopal, then took a flight to Delhi, followed by another to Guwahati.

From there, they traveled by car to Shillong and then took a taxi to Sora, determined to find answers. During their search, they met Anil, a local moped rental operator.

He led them to the location where Raja’s rented moped had been abandoned. With growing unease, they proceeded to Sohra police station on the same vehicle, hoping to uncover the truth behind the couple’s disappearance.

Sonam had lived with Raja’s family for a brief period after the wedding, showing no signs of distress or conflict.

There had been no mention of a trip to Shillong, no indication that their honeymoon would end in tragedy. Yet, Raja had later confided in his mother that Sonam seemed distant, uninterested in him.

When she booked the tickets for the trip, he hesitated but ultimately agreed to go. Now, the family is consumed by grief and anger.

They tore down posters demanding a CBI inquiry and set them ablaze outside their home in Indore. Their voices rang out with a singular demand -- if Sonam was involved, she should face the death penalty. The investigation pressed forward.

The suspects were being transported to Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar Hospital in Indore for medical examinations, their movements closely monitored.

Rajesh Dandotia, Additional DCP Crime Branch of Indore, confirmed that two suspects had been detained in Indore, while another was caught nearby.

Shillong Police remained relentless in their probe, determined to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.

In the early hours of Monday morning, Sonam made a desperate call from Kashi Dhaba on the Banaras-Ghazipur main road. Indore Police relayed the information to Ghazipur authorities, who swiftly recovered her and took her to the hospital for examination.

But the biggest question remained—how had she traveled so far, alone, after her husband’s murder? And what secrets did she carry?

The investigation took a new but decisive turn when Albert Pde, a local guide from Shillong, provided a crucial clue.

He told police that he had seen Raja and Sonam accompanied by three other men on the day they went missing. According to his statement, the couple was spotted on May 23 at around 10 am, trekking between Nongriat and Mawlakhiat.

Albert recalled offering his services to the Indore couple a day earlier, suggesting he could guide them to Nongriat. They declined and instead hired another guide, Vansai Ko.

The next morning, he saw them again, but this time, they were not alone. He described how the three men walked ahead while Sonam lagged behind. They were conversing in Hindi, a language Albert did not understand, as he only speaks Khasi and English.

He noted that the group had spent the previous night at Shipra Home Stay and returned the next day without a guide.

Albert’s testimony has become a crucial piece of evidence in the investigation, shedding light on the last known movements of Raja and Sonam before the tragedy took place.

The most suspicious character in this case is Raj Kushwaha, who used to assist Sonam’s father and was allegedly “close” to her.

Media reports suggest he played a role in Raja's killing, but other theories challenge this claim. He is five years younger than Sonam and was reportedly not in Shillong at the time.

Vipin Raghuvanshi, Raja's brother, recounted that he had spoken to Sonam's brother, Govind, around 2 a.m.

Govind informed him that Sonam had been located in Uttar Pradesh. To verify, he initiated a video call with her, confirming her presence. Following this, they reached out to the Uttar Pradesh Police, who subsequently took Sonam into custody.

Vipin emphasised that she had not surrendered voluntarily, contradicting Meghalaya Police's claims. He stated that unless Sonam herself admits to any involvement, the family would not consider her an accused in the case.

The truth remains hidden beneath layers of deception, waiting to be uncovered.

Chronology

Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi were married on May 11.

Nine days later, on May 20, they left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya.

On May 22, the couple visited Sohra, a popular tourist destination, and rented a two-wheeler from Sagar Sen Samal for four days. That evening, they explored Mawalkhait village before hiring a guide to visit the famous double-decker bridge in Nongriyat village.

On May 23, the village head informed the police that the couple’s rented bike had been left unattended with the key still in the ignition at Golden Pines eatery.

That same day, both Raja and Sonam spoke to their families, with Sonam specifically calling her mother-in-law.

By May 24, Raja’s family began searching for the rental service that had provided the two-wheeler. On May 27, the Madhya Pradesh government intervened.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, a native of Indore, informed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the case. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also reached out to Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma.

During the search, police discovered two bags near a gorge.

On May 28, Indore Member of Parliament Shankar Lalwani arrived in Shillong and met with senior police officers.

On May 29, heavy rains forced Meghalaya Police to halt their search operation.

The search resumed on May 30 but was again suspended due to bad weather on May 31.

On June 2, police recovered Raja’s body from a gorge. On June 3, authorities confirmed that Raja had been murdered using a 'dao', a local tool commonly used for cutting wood and trees.

On June 4, Raja's body was transported to Indore.

On June 5, CCTV footage surfaced showing the couple checking into a hotel in Shillong.

On June 7, another CCTV clip emerged, showing Raja and Sonam adjusting their belongings in a suitcase outside a hotel.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI probe into the case.

On June 9, Sonam was found at Kashi Dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Meghalaya DGP Idashisha Nongrang later revealed that she had plotted and actively participated in Raja’s murder. (IANS)

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