Shillong: In a chilling revelation that has shocked the nation, local guide Albert Pde of Mawlakhiyat village in Meghalaya has come forward with a detailed account of how he unknowingly witnessed the final moments leading up to the brutal murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi.
Speaking to media outlets on Monday, Pde’s testimony has emerged as a pivotal piece of evidence in a multi-state investigation that has exposed a premeditated murder plot, orchestrated by the victim’s own wife and her lover.
According to Pde, he first met the couple—Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi—on May 22 near the Double Decker Bridge route in Nongriat. Recounting his interaction, Pde said he had offered his services as a local guide, warning them of the risks of trekking without assistance. Sonam, however, declined, claiming they were familiar with the route. It was the next morning, on May 23, that Pde witnessed something unsettling on the trail to Tyrna village. He spotted Raja walking ahead with three unknown men, while Sonam trailed behind. The formation and demeanor of the group struck him as unusual, though he didn’t intervene at the time.
What he had unknowingly witnessed was the closing act of a meticulously plotted murder. Investigators from the East Khasi Hills police have since confirmed that Sonam’s boyfriend, Raj Singh Kushwaha, had conspired to kill Raja shortly after his marriage to Sonam on May 11. The murder, they said, was planned as far back as February in Indore and involved recruiting three associates—Vishal, Akash, and Anand—tasked with executing the crime in the remote trails of Meghalaya.
The police revealed that the murder was carried out with ruthless precision between 2:00 and 2:18 pm on May 23 at Weisawdong Falls. Armed with a machete bought in Assam, the trio attacked Raja in front of Sonam and dumped his body in a gorge. Sonam then disappeared, embarking on an elaborate escape across multiple states—traveling from Meghalaya to Guwahati, Siliguri, Patna, Lucknow, and eventually reaching Indore—disguised in a burqa to evade detection.
Albert Pde’s account, however, turned out to be the turning point. Days after the incident, he recognized the individuals he had seen on the trail in police images circulated online. His testimony helped police reconstruct the crime scene and timeline. “I didn’t realise it at the time, but when I saw their faces on YouTube, it all made sense,” Pde said.
Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem confirmed that the conspiracy included plans to fake Sonam’s death, possibly by burning an unidentified female body. However, after the arrest of one of the accused in Uttar Pradesh, panic spread among the group. Sonam resurfaced and surrendered in Ghazipur on June 9, nearly 1,200 kilometers from the crime scene. Investigators believe her surrender was prompted by mounting pressure as the police closed in on the remaining suspects.
DIG DNR Marak confirmed that a Special Investigation Team is coordinating with law enforcement across states to strengthen the case. The police have already recovered key evidence including the murder weapon, a bloodied raincoat, and the couple’s abandoned two-wheeler. The accused have now been remanded to eight days of police custody.
Sonam, Raj Kushwaha, Vishal, Akash, and Anand are now in custody, their grim plot unraveled by a local guide’s sharp memory and sense of duty. What began as a honeymoon has now become one of the most shocking criminal cases in Meghalaya’s recent history, underscoring how a simple act of vigilance by a citizen can tip the scales in the pursuit of justice.
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