Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case: Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during the honeymoon in Meghalaya's Shillong, was granted bail on Tuesday. She has been in jail in Shillong. This relief for Sonam came after the fourth hearing on the bail. Victim Raja's elder brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, confirmed Sonam's bail.
Sensational Murder on Honeymoon
The sensational murder during a honeymoon trip created a huge nationwide outrage last year in May. Raja Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11, 2025. Just ten days after the wedding, on May 21, the couple arrived in Shillong for their honeymoon. Meanwhile, on May 23, both mysteriously disappeared, making the case a headline. A mutilated body was found in a ditch. About 10 days after his disappearance, police recovered Raja's body from a 30-foot-deep ditch. The body bore multiple wounds inflicted by a sharp-edged weapon, confirming murder. Sonam was missing at the time, raising suspicions about her. Later, in a dramatic turn of events, she appeared at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur road on June 9, following which the case took a drastic turn.
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How 'Mangalsutra' Led To Solve Well-Plotted Murder Case
The murder of Raja was unravelled after investigators found a mangalsutra and a ring left behind in a suitcase by his wife at a Sohra homestay. The ornaments became the first crucial lead in what turned out to be a chilling case of contract killing, allegedly masterminded by Sonam and her boyfriend. The couple vanished on May 23 in Sohra, East Khasi Hills, just hours after checking out of a homestay in Nongriat village.
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On June 2, Raja's body was discovered in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls. The search for Sonam concluded when she surrendered in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur on June 9. Police also arrested her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, along with three contract killers allegedly hired by Sonam to carry out the murder. Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) I Nongrang revealed that a breakthrough in the case came when police recovered a mangalsutra and a ring from the suitcase Sonam had left at the Sohra homestay.
"A married woman leaving behind the ornaments gave us a clue to pursue her as a suspect in the case," Nongrang said. According to a police officer involved in the investigation, the couple had arrived at the Sohra homestay on May 22 without prior booking and were unable to secure a room. They left their luggage at the property and planned to trek over 3,000 steps to reach Nongriat village, famous for its double-decker living root bridge. The couple spent the night at a homestay in Nongriat and checked out early on May 23. After trekking back to Sohra, they collected their scooter from a parking area and rode toward Weisawdong Falls. It was at this location that Raja was allegedly murdered in front of Sonam by the three hired assassins.
(With Agencies inputs)