Meghalaya Police on Saturday filed a comprehensive 790-page chargesheet in the high-profile murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was brutally murdered on his honeymoon trip to Sohra earlier this year. The chargesheet, filed in a Sohra court, identifies five main accused and presents ghastly details of the conspiracy.
Based on the East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem, the probe definitively proved that Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, in tandem with her claimed paramour Raj Kushwaha and three contracted killers Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi conspired and carried out the murder of Raja on May 23, a mere 12 days after the wedding of the couple.
How the Murder Was Planned
The chargesheet reveals that Sonam, 25, went on with her affair with Kushwaha even after her marriage to 29-year-old Raja on May 11, 2025, in Indore. The couple soon started plotting Raja’s murder under the cover of a honeymoon trip, within days of the marriage.
Traveling from Shillong to Sohra on May 20, Sonam and Kushwaha attempted three times unsuccessfully to murder Raja before succeeding. On May 23, by the picturesque Wei Sawdong Falls, the three rented attackers ambushed Raja with machetes in front of Sonam, eventually dumping his body into a gorge. His decomposing body was found on June 2.
Sonam’s Role and Arrest
The probe finds that Sonam not only conspired the killing but was also present at the time of the savage attack. She allegedly called her mother right after the crime, disconnected both her and Raja’s phones, and went back to Indore. She first took refuge but then surrendered in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on June 8, a day after police arrested Kushwaha and the three contract killers.
While being questioned, Sonam allegedly admitted to the conspiracy, explaining how she and Kushwaha had carefully planned the murder, employing the attackers for almost Rs 20 lakh. All five accused have been named in the chargesheet under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (destruction of evidence), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Other Accused and Family Claims
A chargesheet is likely to be filed against three others property agent Silome James, owner of the building Lokendra Tomar, and security man Balbir Ahirwar for allegedly tampering or hiding evidence. Tomar and Ahirwar have already been released on bail by the Sohra court.
The brother of the arrested Raja, Vipin Raghuvanshi, lauded the chargesheet but insisted on the death penalty for all the accused and stressed that the crime was premeditated.
This killing, which started as a case of a missing person, has stunned the country with its calculated wickedness and brutality, raising the seedy side of betrayal even in the institution of marriage.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
