Raja Raghuvanshi Murder: Sonam and Alleged Lover Raj Kushwaha Remanded to Police Custody Till June 19

Raja Raghuvanshi Murder: Sonam, Lover Raj Kushwaha in Police Custody Till June 19.

Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, has been remanded to police custody until June 19. A court in Shillong also sent her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha, along with three other co-accused, to eight days of police remand.

Sonam has confessed to her involvement in Raja’s murder during interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Authorities now plan to record her official statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. Police are also preparing to videotape her confession, which could serve as key evidence in the case.

Grief and Accusations
The case has shocked many, including Raja’s grieving family. His mother, devastated by her son’s brutal killing, called it an act of “black magic” and accused Sonam of casting a “dark spell” on the family.

The Murder Timeline
Raja (29) and Sonam had tied the knot in Indore on May 11. During their honeymoon in Meghalaya, the couple went missing on May 23. Days later, on June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the East Khasi Hills district.

Initially reported missing, Sonam later resurfaced in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, where she surrendered to police on June 9, following the arrest of her alleged accomplices:

Akash Rajput (19)

Vishal Singh Chauhan (22)

Anand Kurmi

Raj Kushwaha (21), accused of masterminding the plot, was arrested shortly afterward.

All five accused were brought to Shillong by the Meghalaya Police and produced in court.

The Alleged Plot
Police believe Sonam and Kushwaha, who had known each other for some time, plotted the murder while planning the honeymoon. While Sonam and Raja traveled to Meghalaya, Kushwaha stayed behind to avoid suspicion.

Despite being only a Class 12 pass-out, Kushwaha worked as an accountant in Sonam’s family’s furniture laminate business in Indore’s Govind Nagar Kharcha area. Sonam reportedly managed the business operations.

Investigators allege the murder was pre-planned, and the hired accomplices were brought in to execute the killing while making it appear accidental.