SHILLONG: The Superintendent of Police (SP) of East Khasi Hills District, Vivek Syiem, has clarified the circumstances surrounding the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is implicated in the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon trip to Sohra.
According to SP Vivek Syiem, the accused secured bail primarily due to a clerical error in the documentation, wherein the legal section number was mistakenly recorded as Section 403 instead of Section 103.
He clarified that Section 403 does not exist under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and strongly dismissed notions that the accused was unaware of the grounds for her arrest.
The district police chief emphasized that even when the transit remand was obtained before the magistrate, the grounds for arrest were clearly communicated to her.
He stated that the accused fully understood she was being detained on murder charges, yet the court took note of the clerical discrepancy and subsequently issued an order suggesting that the grounds for arrest had not been properly explained to the accused.
In response to this development, the police department has approached the High Court to challenge the District Court’s order.
The SP firmly denied that this temporary release on bail would weaken the case, asserting that the police have already meticulously prepared the chargesheet and possess substantial evidence against the accused individuals.
He further detailed that Sonam had been previously interrogated before a magistrate in Gazipur, who had granted the transit remand under the murder section, and upon being brought to Shillong, she was once again made fully aware that the case against her pertained to murder.
Regarding the provision of legal aid to the accused, the SP mentioned that it falls within the jurisdiction of the court, expressing confidence that she received legal representation since the court routinely arranges legal aid if an accused lacks an attorney.
While noting that the matter is sub-judice and limits extensive public commentary, Syiem stated that the court proceedings were scheduled for the following day and that the police would await the court’s judgment.
He highlighted that the trial is progressing remarkably fast compared to typical cases, which usually take a longer time to commence.
Sonam Raghuvanshi’s release on bail comes after spending approximately ten months in prison for the alleged murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, who was killed in May last year.
The police have already compiled a comprehensive 790-page chargesheet naming five individuals involved in the conspiracy to murder Raghuvanshi. The named accused include Sonam
Raghuvanshi, her friend Raj Kushwaha, and three hired contract killers identified as Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi, all of whom face charges for their involvement in plotting and executing the murder.
