Honeymoon horror: Sonam’s ‘lover’ drove people to victim’s funeral, says witness

In yet another revelation in the murder of Madhya Pradesh man Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, it has emerged that Raj Kushwaha, the alleged lover of Raja’s wife Sonam Raghuvanshi — the prime accused in the case — not only helped plan the murder but also drove mourners to the victim’s funeral in a vehicle arranged by Sonam’s family.

According to an eyewitness, Kushwaha was behind the wheel of one of the four-wheelers arranged to transport people for Raja’s last rites.

“When Raja’s body arrived in Indore, Sonam’s family, which lives in Govind Nagar Kharcha, had arranged four or five vehicles for people who were attending the funeral. Kushwaha was driving the vehicle I was in, though we didn’t speak. It was only after seeing his photograph in the news after his arrest that I realised it was him,” the eyewitness said.

Sources said during the investigation, it was revealed that Sonam, who married Raja in Indore on May 11, had allegedly hatched a plot to eliminate her husband just days after the wedding. She allegedly offered Rs 4 lakh to contract killers, later increasing the amount to Rs 20 lakh to ensure the murder was carried out.

The police believe the entire plot, including the “one-way honeymoon” plan to Meghalaya, was orchestrated by Sonam with the help of Kushwaha, who stayed behind but remained in contact with her throughout the trip.

The grim end to their honeymoon came on June 2, when Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district. At the time, Sonam had gone “missing”, sparking suspicion.

Within days, the Shillong police identified her as a key suspect and launched an operation to trace her. Investigators now say she lured Raja to the remote location under the pretext of a romantic getaway, where hired killers ambushed and murdered him.

Although Raj Kushwaha did not physically accompany the couple to Meghalaya, sources in the Shillong police said he was instrumental in planning and coordinating the crime. He maintained communication with Sonam during the trip, allegedly guiding the sequence of events from afar.