New Delhi: In a chilling twist to the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, allegedly offered Rs 20 lakh to have her husband killed, according to reports.
The couple, who had been married just a few days back, had travelled to Meghalaya on May 20. Raja’s body was discovered in a gorge nearly two weeks later, decomposed and stripped of his gold chain and ring.
Murder Was Planned With Alleged Lover
Investigations revealed that Sonam had initially offered Rs 4 lakh to the killers before increasing the amount to Rs 20 lakh. As per reports, she paid Rs 15,000 in cash up front to three men, who were allegedly friends of her lover, Raj Kushwaha. The remaining amount was to be paid after the murder was executed. Police sources also claimed that Sonam and the accused had first met the couple in Bengaluru, from where they boarded a connecting flight to Meghalaya.
Sonam and Raja, who were married on May 11 in Indore, were last contacted by family members on May 23. The next day, their rented scooter was found abandoned, prompting a search operation. On June 2, Raja’s decomposed body was recovered from a gorge, raising suspicions of foul play. Meanwhile, Sonam had vanished.
Raj Kushwaha, identified as Sonam’s alleged lover, was arrested in Madhya Pradesh. The three men who carried out the murder, identified as Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Anand Kurmi, have also been taken into custody.
Sonam Surrendered After Calling Her Brother
Days after she went missing, Sonam was found in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur on June 9 after she reportedly called her brother from a local eatery, informing him of her location. A staffer at the eatery told the police that she was crying and asked to use a phone, saying she wanted to speak to her family. Acting on the tip-off, authorities detained her, and she has since surrendered.
Currently, she is in three-day transit remand with Meghalaya Police. Raja’s family has demanded the harshest punishment for all involved, saying that they even saw Kushwaha at their Indore home after Raja’s body arrived.
