Sonam Raghuvanshi had offered Rs 4 lakh to hired killers for the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, sources said, adding she later raised the amount to Rs 20 lakh. According to top police sources, Sonam helped the other accused in pushing Raghuvanshi’s body into a gorge in Meghalaya.
Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was found in a gorge near a waterfall in Sohra area (also known as Cherrapunji) of East Khasi Hills district on June 2, days after he reached Meghalaya with his wife Sonam for their honeymoon.
The hitmen hired by Sonam first met with the newlywed couple in Bengaluru, from where they took their connecting flight to the northeast, the sources said, adding that since the victim and the accused were from the same city, they got talking.
As per sources, Sonam Raghuvanshi planned the murder with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha just a few days after her wedding on May 11. The plan of a one-way ticket to Meghalaya for the honeymoon was her plan, they said. Even though Kushwaha did not travel to Meghalaya, but Shillong Police sources suggest he did the planning behind the scenes and was in touch with Sonam.
On May 23, Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi went on a trek to a steep peak to see a waterfall, with the hitmen following their trail.
At one point, Sonam pretended to be tired and started walking much behind her husband and the killers, the sources said. When they reached a deserted place, Sonam allegedly asked the men to kill her husband.
The killers, however, refused to kill him, saying they were tired, as per the sources. Sonam Raghuvanshi then allegedly raised her offer to 20 lakh, they said.
According to sources, Sonam also helped the accused in throwing Raja’s body into the ditch.