A chilling twist has emerged in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case involving Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi. Investigators revealed that Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused and Raja’s wife, had been in regular contact with someone identified as ‘Sanjay Verma’, a name now confirmed to be an alias used by her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha, the alleged mastermind of the murder.
East Khasi Hills district SP Vivek Syiem told PTI, “We have discovered that Sonam made over 100 phone calls to one Sanjay Verma before her marriage to Raja. The calls continued even after the wedding.”
Police initially launched a search operation in Indore to track Verma, whose phone had gone inactive. Eventually, they uncovered that ‘Verma’ was actually Raj Kushwaha, the man who allegedly orchestrated Raja’s killing.
Sonam’s Family Denies Knowledge of Alias
Responding to questions from the media, Sonam’s brother Govind denied any knowledge of Sanjay Verma. “I don’t know anything about Sanjay Verma. I had come to show you all the places where Raj used to work. Nothing has been seized from here. I have also learned today that Sanjay’s name is also coming up in this,” he said.
Multiple Murder Attempts Before Success
Police said that the murder on May 23 was not the first attempt. East Khasi Hills SP Rituraj Ravi revealed that the hitmen tried and failed on three earlier occasions—in Guwahati, Nongriat, and near Weisawdong Falls—before finally executing the plan in Sohra.
Raja Raghuvanshi had married Sonam on May 11 in Indore, and they had travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20. The couple went missing on May 23, and Raja’s decomposed body was discovered on June 2.
Financial Angle Under Probe
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been deployed in Indore to investigate potential financial motives behind Raja’s murder, beyond the suspected love triangle. Police suspect that others may have had something to gain from his death.
Raj Kushwaha, who works for a company owned by Sonam’s family, is accused of hiring three contract killers to murder Raja. Though he stayed away from Meghalaya to avoid raising suspicion, he is believed to have planned every detail.
Trail of Escape and Key Clue Left Behind
Following the murder, Sonam reportedly fled through Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh before reaching Indore. Police found her mangalsutra and a ring abandoned in a trolley bag at their Sohra homestay, which initially triggered suspicion about her involvement.
All five accused in the case, including Sonam and Raj Kushwaha, are currently in police custody.