Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, the murder of 29-year-old Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi and the ensuing confusion,
Raja Raghuvanshi, who was on his honeymoon in Meghalaya with his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, aged 24, married on May 11, 2025. The couple, who were on holiday in the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills district, went missing on May 23, 2025.
On June 2, 2025, Raja’s body was found in a gorge near the Wei Sawdong Falls, a knife (locally called “Dao”) and his phone were found near the deceased, the deceased had multiple sharp injuries, including two large wounds on the head, confirming the murder.
The team of investigating officers found a blood-stained raincoat (which belonged to Sonam) 6 km from the scene of the incident in Mawma village.
On June 9, 2025, the 18th day after the couple went missing, the Meghalaya Police announced a major breakthrough called “Operation Honeymoon”. According to the police, Sonam Raghuvanshi surrendered at the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and the three attackers – Akash Rajput (19, from Lalitpur), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22, from Indore), and Raj Singh Kushwaha (21, from Indore) – were arrested after an overnight raid.
The fourth accused, Anand Patel from Indore, was later arrested from Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. Police alleged that Sonam had hatched the murder plot, with the killers being hired for the murder after an initial offer of Rs 4 lakh, which was later increased to Rs 20 lakh, According to police, Sonam had allegedly had an affair with an employee working in her father’s plywood factory before her marriage to Raj Kushwaha.
A tourist guide, Albert Pede, said on June 7 that he had seen the couple climbing 3,000 steps from Nongriat to Mavlakhiat with three Hindi-speaking men on May 23, which gave the investigation team a crucial clue.
CCTV footage, phone records, and evidence such as a blood-soaked shirt and raincoat appear to further implicate Sonam and the attackers. The conspiracy began on May 15, when Sonam returned to her ancestral home, reunited with Raj Kushwaha, and planned the murder. She allegedly shared her location with her lover during the trip.
The killers followed the couple after a trip to the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. The murder weapon, a knife purchased in Guwahati, did not match local designs, which helped the investigation.
Sonam claimed that she herself was a victim, citing abduction and amnesia, saying she was drugged and could not remember how she reached Ghazipur. However, the police dismissed this, citing evidence that she returned to Indore between May 25-27, met Raj Kushwaha, and then left for Uttar Pradesh.
Her presence at a dhaba, was seen as an attempt to mislead investigators. Uttar Pradesh Police, in coordination with Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh security forces, took him into custody, and he was given a 72-hour transit remand to Shillong for further questioning.
Sonam’s father, Devi Singh, denied the charges, termed the police statement as fabricated and demanded a CBI probe. Raja’s family, which includes his mother Uma and brother Vipul, also demanded a CBI probe, citing Raja’s reluctance to travel and his failure to book Sonam’s return tickets.They stressed that Raja was wearing valuable jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh, which went missing.
Meghalaya officials, including Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, defended the efficiency of the police, insisting that the case was solved within seven days of Raja’s body being found, and dismissed claims that the state was unsafe for tourists, describing the crime as a “love triangle”.
The investigation is ongoing, with one suspect still at large, and Meghalaya police have urged the public to avoid speculation as legal action progresses. The case has garnered national attention,
While local organisations such as the Highvtrap Youth Council have demanded an apology for social media campaigns that tarnished Meghalaya’s image and tourism industry.