In a shocking twist straight out of a crime thriller, a newlywed woman from Indore has been arrested for orchestrating the brutal murder of her husband, just five days after their wedding. The mastermind behind the crime? His wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, who plotted the killing with her alleged lover and his associates, as per the police.

A Marriage Built On Lies

Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Madhya Pradesh, married Sonam on May 11. What seemed like the beginning of a happy new chapter for the couple quickly turned into a sinister tale of betrayal. Behind the facade of marital bliss, Sonam was allegedly plotting Raja’s murder with her purported lover, Raj Kushwaha.

According to investigators, the murder plan was put into motion on May 16, just five days into the marriage. Sonam had promised her lover that once Raja was out of the picture, she would become a widow and marry him, with her father’s blessing.

‘Let’s Kill Him. I’ll Marry You’: Sonam Told Raj

Sonam reportedly planned to marry Raj Kushwaha after becoming a widow. She told Kushwaha: “Let’s kill Raja and make it look like a robbery. Once I become a widow, my father will agree to our marriage,” she told him, according to sources.

Police revealed that the murder weapon, a hatchet (locally known as a dao), had been ordered online in Guwahati. The killers checked into a hotel just a kilometre from Sonam’s homestay ahead of the attack, with Sonam herself guiding them to the location via shared GPS.

Raja’s Murder In Meghalaya

On May 23, under the pretence of a photoshoot, Sonam lured Raja to a secluded hillside. While she hung back, three of the accused moved ahead with Raja. As soon as the path cleared, Sonam gave the signal, screaming, “Kill him!”

Accused Vishal Chauhan immediately struck Raja on the head with the dao, fatally wounding him. Another conspirator, Akash Rajput, stood watch from a distance on a motorbike, keeping an eye on any potential witnesses.

₹20 Lakh For ‘Hit’

Initially, the accused were hesitant, claiming exhaustion from climbing the hilly terrain. But Sonam was relentless. She offered them ₹20 lakh to go through with the murder, said police sources. She even handed over ₹15,000 from Raja’s wallet as an advance.

Following the murder, Sonam fled from Shillong to Guwahati the same evening. She boarded a train and travelled through Varanasi to Ghazipur, smashing her mobile phones along the way to avoid being tracked.

Despite her efforts to erase her digital footprints, Sonam’s involvement quickly came to light. CCTV footage placed her in contact with the suspects, and call detail records (CDR) linked her to Raj Kushwaha, whose location was traced to Indore. He was soon arrested.

Realising the game was up, Sonam panicked. She surrendered herself at a roadside eatery in Uttar Pradesh.