'Honeymoon Murder' Bail No 2? After Indore Woman Released, Lover Seeks Bail

Raj Kushwaha - accused in the high-profile murder last year of Sonam Raghuvanshi's husband, Raja Raghuvanshi - moved a bail application on Wednesday, a day after his former lover was released from jail.

In the application, Phuyosa Yobin, appearing for Raj Kushwaha, urged the court to grant bail for his client and pointed to the release of Sonam, who faces similar charges, to make the case.

The Shillong court has reserved the order on Raj Kushwaha's bail.

Both Sonam and Raj - among the five main accused - have been in jail for 10 months now.

Sonam was released from jail in Shillong late Tuesday night.

Sonam's bail

Bail for Sonam Raghuvanshi had been rejected thrice in the past.

READ | Indore Woman Accused Of Killing Husband On Meghalaya Honeymoon Gets Bail

This time, after it was granted, NDTV accessed court documents that suggest a 'clerical error' in drawing up charges might have played a role in her eventual release. Dashalene R Kharbteng, Additional DC (Judicial), Shillong, set four conditions:

• Shall not abscond or tamper with the evidence or witnesses,
• Shall attend court on every date fixed,
• Shall not leave the jurisdiction of this court, except with due permission,
• Shall execute a personal bond of Rs 50,000 only with two sureties of like amount

The 'honeymoon murder'

The murder took place in May 2025 during a honeymoon trip to Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills, where Raghuvanshi's body was discovered in a gorge after the couple went missing from Sohra.

Sonam Raghuvanshi (L) with her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi at their marriage (File)

A massive search operation was initiated with several agencies, including the national and state disaster response teams, local police, trekking groups, and even area residents.

On June 2, 2025, Raja Raghuvanshi was found dead.

What happened

Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raj Kushwaha, a former worker at her family business, planned to kill Raja Raghuvanshi during the honeymoon and make it look like an accident.

The three hired men attacked Raja Raghuvanshi with machetes near Wei Sawdong Falls while Sonam Raghuvanshi was present. His body was thrown into a gorge, and the phone switched off.

Sonam Raghuvanshi then went on the run before being detained in Uttar Pradesh. She allegedly confessed to conspiring with Kushwaha and three others to commit the horrific murder.