Sonam’s story: From MBA dreams to sanskari bahu to murder accused

Sonam grew up in the narrow bylanes of Indore’s Kushwah Nagar, where her father, Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, had built a plywood business over 25 years after arriving from nearby Guna with limited resources. Her family said she is a graduate and claimed she played a role in expanding her father’s business.

Growing up a girl in a small town, her father says, the family kept a check on her movements and associations from a young age. “We never allowed our daughter to go out of the home and talk to random people,” Devi Singh said. “She lived a strict life. Her life was only work and home.”

Her family discouraged her from pursuing work outside their sphere, so she remained within the confines of the plywood factory operations.

The family’s financial situation had improved considerably over the years, expanding into Gujarat under her brother Govind’s management. But this prosperity came with increased restrictions on Sonam’s personal freedom. “She once mentioned wanting to pursue an MBA, but this was quietly shelved when her family made it clear that her place was within their business operations,” said a senior Madhya Pradesh police officer.

It was during this time that Sonam first encountered Raj, a man who had previously worked in the billing department of her father’s factory and lived in the same neighbourhood. Their interaction was initially limited to routine business transactions, but the relationship would develop beyond her family’s knowledge or approval. Her family members maintain they had no inkling of the relationship, and claim the police are lying.

When the time came for marriage, the arrangement followed traditional protocols. The match with Raja Raghuvanshi was initiated through the Samaj Parichay Pustika, a community matrimonial directory published during Ram Navami on October 1, 2024. There was no prior acquaintance between the families; only biodata that appeared compatible.

Raja belonged to a family that operated Raghuvanshi Transport, a business providing rental buses to educational institutions. As the youngest of three brothers, he was involved in the family enterprise, and considered the match providential when the same proposal resurfaced after his family had initially declined it over a year earlier, Raja’s mother Uma said.

“We were not in a hurry to get our son married. They wanted the marriage to be done in four months. We did not think much of it. She was a sanskari bahu who observed a fast for my son, did not speak much to the family and came down from the top floor to eat her meals. She was on her phone most of the time, and we never intervened. We wanted her to have all the freedom she could enjoy. Her father would not even allow her to watch a movie,” Uma said.

The wedding took place on May 11, but relatives later recalled that Sonam appeared “subdued” during the ceremonies.

Initially, there had been no family discussion about a post-wedding trip, but she allegedly expressed a desire to travel. When Raja initially declined, she persisted, eventually booking tickets herself and convincing him to accompany her to Meghalaya, investigators from the state said.

Sonam had booked departure tickets but made no arrangements for their return journey. She also convinced Raja to wear expensive jewellery during their travel, despite his mother’s objections at the airport. “That was the only time Sonam was demanding. She was a quiet, nice woman from the neighbourhood who did not do anything malicious. I spoke to Sonam’s mother and said I still can’t believe it. They said they did not know anything about Raj Kushwaha and were offended he appeared at my son’s funeral. It seems they did not know much about their daughter,” Uma said.