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“My daughter is innocent. She cannot do this," says Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, the father of Sonam — the woman at the centre of a chilling honeymoon murder that has shaken two states and baffled investigators.

The statement came hours after Sonam, who had been missing for days, dramatically surrendered at a police station in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, late on Sunday night. Accused of hiring contract killers to murder her husband, Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, Sonam now faces serious charges, even as her family insists she has been framed and wrongly portrayed as the mastermind of a heinous crime.
Sonam’s surrender came amid mounting police pressure and followed the arrest of three men accused of carrying out the murder. The Meghalaya police, which is spearheading the investigation, confirmed her surrender and announced that she would be brought back to the state soon for questioning and legal proceedings.

Sonam’s dramatic surrender, however, has transformed the case from a mysterious disappearance into a complex murder conspiracy allegedly orchestrated by the victim’s wife.

POLICE CONFIRM FOURTH ARREST, ONE MORE ACCUSED ON THE RUN

According to Meghalaya Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Dalton P. Marak, Sonam’s surrender marks the fourth arrest in the case. “She surrendered under pressure last night," he told reporters. Director General of Police (DGP) I Nongrang added, “One accused from Uttar Pradesh and two more persons were held from Indore by the Meghalaya Police SIT. The arrested accused have named some more persons. They revealed that the victim’s wife had hired them."

Police believe Sonam paid contract killers from Madhya Pradesh to murder her husband during their honeymoon trip.

ADG Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh, Amitabh Yash, said, “Sonam Raghuvanshi called her family members around 3 am and informed them that she was at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. Ghazipur Police subsequently took her to the hospital and then to the One Stop Centre in Ghazipur. Meghalaya Police, who are in Indore to investigate this case, will take custody of Sonam Raghuvanshi once they arrive in Ghazipur. The UP Police has not yet interrogated Sonam Raghuvanshi."

THE DISAPPEARANCE: FROM DREAM HONEYMOON TO NIGHTMARE

The tragic sequence began in late May when Sonam and Raja, both in their twenties and recently married, left for a honeymoon in Shillong and Cherrapunji. On May 21, the couple checked into a guest house in Shillong and rented a scooter. A day later, they reached a homestay near Nongriat in East Khasi Hills. Early the next morning, a local guide saw them ascending a forest trail along with three unidentified men — a detail that would later prove critical.

When the couple failed to return, a police search began. On May 24, their rented scooter was found abandoned on the Shillong-Sohra road. On June 2, Raja’s decomposed body was recovered from a gorge near the Weisawdong waterfalls, a location known for its treacherous terrain. Police also found a blood-stained machete, a raincoat, and other items, clearly indicating foul play.

SIT CRACKS CASE WITH ARRESTS IN INDORE AND UP

As evidence mounted, Meghalaya’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) zeroed in on suspects through mobile surveillance, call records, and tip-offs. Three men, allegedly contract killers hired by Sonam, were arrested — one from Uttar Pradesh and two from Indore. According to investigators, these men confessed to the crime and implicated Sonam as the one who hired them. Her surrender followed soon after.

Sonam is currently being housed in a One Stop Centre for women in Ghazipur and is expected to be transported to Meghalaya soon. Police say her formal arrest will be made after completing necessary legal procedures.

VICTIM’S FAMILY AWAITS TRUTH, STEERS CLEAR OF DIRECT ACCUSATION

Raja’s family, based in Indore, has expressed deep sorrow but has refrained from directly blaming Sonam. His brother, Vipul Raghuvansh,i stated, “Sonam has not been arrested. She is in custody. Till the time she doesn’t confess, we won’t call her guilty."

He added that the family is waiting for the truth to emerge through h proper investigation. Raja Raghuvanshi’s mother, Uma, broke down after learning Sonam was found alive. “I was shocked. There wasn’t a single scratch on her. If she had been attacked or kidnapped, there would have been marks. I sit before my son’s photo every night and talk to him. I tell him, ‘Find who wronged you.’ I feel his presence — he speaks to me when I’m in pain," she said, struggling to hold back tears.

SONAM’S FATHER DENIES CHARGES, ALLEGES FRAME-UP

Sonam’s father, Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, has strongly refuted the murder allegations against his daughter. “My daughter cannot do this. The Meghalaya Police is lying from the beginning," he said. According to Singh, Sonam had been in regular contact with her family and voluntarily came to meet them at a dhaba in Ghazipur, where she was then picked up by police. The family is now demanding a CBI investigation, alleging that the Meghalaya Police has falsely implicated her and even threatened legal action against the officers involved.

POLICE PROBE ROMANTIC MOTIVE BEHIND MURDER

The investigation has also begun to explore a possible romantic motive. Police sources revealed that Sonam might have been involved with another man, Raj Kushwaha, who has also been detained. While authorities have yet to confirm the full extent of their relationship, they suspect it could be a possible motive for orchestrating Raja’s murder. Financial transactions and call records between Sonam and the alleged killers are being analysed for further evidence.

CHIEF MINISTER HAILS BREAKTHROUGH, LOCAL GUIDE’S TIP CRUCIAL

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma lauded the police for their swift action. “A breakthrough has been made in the case in under a week," he posted on X. One crucial lead in the investigation came from a local guide, Albert Pde, who had earlier accompanied the couple but was rejected by them for a different route. He later claimed to have seen them with three unknown men, contradicting Sonam’s initial narrative.