Raja was killed in 4th attempt by wife: Police

SHILLONG: Indore transporter Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered in the fourth attempt by his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and her accomplices on May 23 near Wei Sawdong falls in Cherrapunji during the couple's honeymoon, Meghalaya police said Thursday.

"All accused, including Sonam, have admitted to the murder. The mastermind was her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said. "It was not a contract killing. The other three assailants acted as a favour to him."

The trio, Raj's friends Akash Rajput, Vishal Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi, reached Guwahati ahead of Sonam and Raja. The first attempt to kill Raja in Guwahati failed, followed by two more failed attempts in Shillong and near Mawlakhiat village in East Khasi Hills, police said.

On May 23, between 2 pm and 2.18 pm, the group allegedly succeeded in hacking Raja to death near Wei Sawdong falls. "All of them took turns attacking him," Syiem said. "Akash discarded his bloodstained shirt and wore the raincoat Sonam had on."

DIG (eastern range) Davis NR Marak said Sonam has shifted the blame onto Raj, who allegedly returned the accusation. "Yes, she confessed to being part of the conspiracy," Marak said.

Sonam, 24, and Raja, 28, were married on May 11 and left days later for Guwahati to visit Kamakhya Temple. On May 20, they reached Meghalaya. Three days later, both vanished. Raja's body was found in a deep gorge near the falls on June 2. Sources said that Sonam helped carry Raja's body to the gorge.

Sonam reappeared at a roadside dhaba in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur on June 9, was arrested, and brought to Shillong. On Wednesday, a Meghalaya court remanded all five accused in eight-day police custody. An SIT is questioning them separately and together.

UP police said that Sonam stayed in close contact with Raj before the murder, with call detail records showing 30 calls between May 16 and 23, including late-night conversations and frequent app-based messaging. Surveillance data revealed coordination began as early as May 15, four days after her wedding, when the two allegedly met at a cafe near her Indore home.

Digital forensics teams are now examining GPS logs, backups, and deleted files to map out the conspiracy. More arrests are likely as the probe deepens.

(Inputs from Pathikrit Chakraborty in Lucknow)