Sonam Raghuvanshi was in a relationship with another man, Raj Kushwaha, and allegedly conspired to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. Sonam is accused of hiring contract killers from Madhya Pradesh to carry out the murder during what was supposed to be the couple’s honeymoon in the picturesque Sohra region of Meghalaya.
The newlyweds had arrived in Meghalaya last month and went missing on May 23. A tourist guide informed police that the couple was last seen with three unidentified men. Nearly 10 days later, on June 2, Raja’s body was found in a deep gorge, and their rented scooter was discovered abandoned several kilometres away with the keys still intact.
A breakthrough came when Sonam, who had been untraceable, called her family from Ghazipur. Her family alerted the Indore Police, who coordinated with the local police in Uttar Pradesh to track her down. Sonam voluntarily surrendered at the Nandganj Police Station in Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh, and is currently in police custody.
The Meghalaya Director General of Police, Idashisha Nongrang, confirmed that Sonam was involved in planning her husband’s murder and had hired contract killers. So far, three suspects from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, while one remains at large.
The case garnered attention from Meghalaya’s Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, who praised the swift progress by the police on social media, noting that within seven days significant arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing.
Meanwhile, Sonam’s father, Devi Singh, has denied all allegations against his daughter, claiming the state police are fabricating stories. He stated plans to approach Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to demand a CBI inquiry.
“My daughter is innocent. We got married with the consent of both families. Meghalaya Police is making up stories. Let the CBI inquiry begin; all officers at the police station will be behind bars,” Devi Singh told reporters.