Raja’s murder was pre-planned, Sonam said, “Finish the job”:After murder she came Indore from Shillong wearing burqa; chargesheet claims

Slain Indore-based transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was killed during his honeymoon in Shillong, was not an accident, but a pre-planned conspiracy executed over several months.
The Meghalaya Police filed a chargesheet in the court, stating that Raja’s wife Sonam, was the mastermind of the crime, aided by her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and his associates. A planned murder, not an incident According to the chargesheet, Sonam and her paramour Raj Kushwaha had plotted Raja’s murder well before the couple left Indore for their honeymoon. The plan was to assassinate Raja in Shillong and allow Sonam to return to Indore to begin a new life with Raj. One of the strongest pieces of evidence of this pre-planning is that Sonam handed over a black trolley bag containing her clothes and personal belongings to Raj just before leaving for the honeymoon. Raj later kept this bag at his friend Vishal Chauhan’s house—clear proof that Sonam was confident she would return alone. The murder at the selfie point Meghalaya Police recreated the crime scene near the infamous Weisawdong (Vaisadong) Selfie Point near Shillong, based on confessions and evidence. On the day of the incident, Raja was enjoying the scenic spot with Sonam, unaware that the people accompanying him were carrying weapons meant to kill him. Raj had already sent his three friends—Rohit Chauhan, Anand Kurmi and Akash Singh Rajput—to Shillong. At the selfie point, Sonam sensed it was the right moment and allegedly signalled Rohit Chauhan, saying: Finish the job here. There won’t be another chance. Following her signal, Rohit and Anand removed two sharp-edged weapons known locally as dao from a scooter’s storage compartment, hid them under their shirts, and approached Raja. To divert attention, Sonam walked towards the toilet nearby. Moments later, Raja was struck on the head with the dao. Bleeding heavily, he collapsed on the spot. The attackers then lifted his body and threw it into a deep gorge below the selfie point’s railing to erase all traces. After the murder: Sonam’s escape After Raja’s body was disposed of, Sonam travelled back to Indore using a long and circuitous route to avoid suspicion. She concealed her identity by wearing a burqa throughout the journey. She reached Indore, got down from a bus at Lavkush Square, took an auto-rickshaw and went straight to Raj Kushwaha’s house, where she stayed for four days. Later, the couple rented a flat near Dewas Naka and began living together. Police investigation turns the case Initially treated as a missing person or robbery case, the investigation took a dramatic turn after Raja’s body was recovered. Shillong Police analysed thousands of mobile numbers, tower locations and hundreds of CCTV clips. Technical evidence confirmed that Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan and Anand Kurmi were present in Shillong at the time of the murder, while Akash Rajput’s location was traced to Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh. Two special teams were formed—one led by DSP S.A. Sangma sent to Lalitpur, and another led by DSP Bipul Das sent to Indore. Arrests across two states On June 8, 2025, coordinated raids led to multiple arrests. Akash Rajput was detained from Lalitpur, while Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan and Anand Kurmi were taken into custody from Indore and Sagar. During interrogation, the accused made a shocking disclosure: Sonam was alive and was the real mastermind behind the murder. Filmy escape attempt and arrest Before her accomplices were arrested, Sonam and Raj devised another plan. Sonam was to flee Indore to Siliguri and later fabricate a false kidnapping story to portray herself as a victim. In the early hours of June 8, Raj arranged an Ertiga car. Sonam, dressed in a burqa, left Indore with Raj’s acquaintance Mohit Kashyap to monitor the driver. However, near Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, Raj informed Sonam over the phone that two accused had already been arrested. Panicking, he told her to get down immediately and contact her brother. Sonam got off at a highway dhaba near Ghazipur and called her brother Govind Raghuvanshi. By then, police had already tracked her location. She was arrested by Nandganj Police from the same dhaba. Key evidence listed in the chargesheet The Meghalaya Police chargesheet includes extensive documentary, digital and testimonial evidence: Trial begins Based on the chargesheet, the court has framed charges against Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, Anand Kurmi, Akash Rajput and Vishal Chauhan. Their bail pleas have been rejected, and the trial is now underway. Statements of Raja’s brother and Sonam’s friends have already been recorded. What began as a honeymoon trip ended as a chilling tale of betrayal, greed and a cold-blooded conspiracy—now laid bare in court through one of the most shocking murder cases in recent times.