Raja was killed in just 18 minutes, post that Sonam stayed in Indore for 14 days

Shillong: Shillong Police has made sensational revelations in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case of Meghalaya. SP Vivek Syam told in a press conference that Raj Kushwaha is the mastermind of this murder, while Sonam Raghuvanshi was his partner. All the five accused Sonam, Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand Kurmi have confessed their crime. On May 23, in just 18 minutes (2:00 to 2:18 pm) Raja was murdered and his body was thrown in the ditch. After the murder, Sonam remained hidden in Indore for 14 days (26 May to 8 June). This conspiracy was the result of a love affair and family pressure, in which no contract was given, rather three other accused helped in the murder in the name of friendship.

SP Vivek revealed that in February 2025, Raj Kushwaha and Sonam had hatched two alternative conspiracies. In the first, Sonam was to disappear so that it would appear that she had been swept away in the river. In the second, someone else was to be murdered and his body was to be placed on Sonam’s scooty and set on fire so that it would appear that Sonam had been killed. These plans failed and under family pressure, Sonam got married to Raja on 11 May. 11 days before the wedding, Raj hatched a murder conspiracy. The SP said that Sonam and Raj had a love affair, but whether Sonam’s family was aware of it or not is a matter of investigation. Perhaps Sonam had no other option but murder.

Conspiracy from Guwahati to Sohra
Sonam brought Raja to Guwahati on the pretext of visiting Kamakhya temple. Three other accused Akash, Vishal and Anand (Raj’s cousin) reached Guwahati on 19 May. The initial plan was to commit the murder in Guwahati, where recce was also done. When this failed, Sonam planned to go to Sohra. The accused met at Nongriat on 23 May and at 2:00 pm in the parking lot of Waisadong Falls, when Raja went to the toilet, the three accused killed him. Sonam was at the spot. By 2:18 pm, the body was dumped in the ditch. Sonam also helped throw her husband’s body into the ditch.

Sonam fled wearing a burqa after the murder
After the murder, Sonam gave her raincoat to Akash, whose shirt had blood on it. The four fled from the murder spot. Sonam drove one scooty herself. At the AD view point, Akash threw the raincoat, then drove the scooty and Sonam sat behind. Anand drove the other scooty. Later, Vishal gave Sonam a burqa, which Raj had prepared in advance. Sonam wore the burqa and reached Guwahati by taxi, then from ISBT to Siliguri (West Bengal), Patna, Ara, Lucknow and finally reached Indore by bus. She was in Indore from May 26 to June 8.

Pretending to be kidnapped and surrendering
A guide told the police that Raja and Sonam were accompanied by three people. When this news was leaked to the media, Raj asked Sonam to leave Indore and go to Siliguri and pretend to be a victim of kidnapping. Sonam was about to leave Indore on June 8, but the same day the police caught an accused from Uttar Pradesh. Raj panicked and instructed Sonam to call her family and tell them that she was kidnapped and escaped. After this, Sonam surrendered in Ghazipur on June 8.

No contract killing, murder in friendship
The SP clarified that this was not a contract killing. Raj prepared his friends Akash, Vishal and Anand for the murder. Only Rs 59,000 were given for expenses. The police are investigating the financial aspect, but it is a case of love affair. The murder attempt failed three times. The fourth time the murder was successful in Waisdong.

Claim of evidence and charge sheet
The police have evidence like 48 CCTV footage, blood-stained shirt, raincoat, murder weapon, scooter rental records, and mobile location data. The SP said that a charge sheet will be filed in 90 days. The first interrogation has been done in the eight-day remand and if needed, more remand will be taken. There is no information about a person named Jitendra.

Sonam’s plan: to become a victim
Sonam’s intention was to come forward as a victim of kidnapping. She was hoping that Raja’s body would not be identified due to rotting. But the police’s swift investigation exposed the conspiracy. The SP said that soon the crime scene will be recreated.