NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India on Friday rejected the Meghalaya government’s plea seeking the immediate cancellation of bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the high-profile murder of her husband, Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
While the apex court refused to send the accused back to custody at this stage, it agreed to examine the state government’s challenge to the lower court orders and formally issued a notice to Raghuvanshi.
A Bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu observed that the accused had already been released and was fully complying with the conditions imposed by the court. Despite expressing serious reservations over the orders passed by the lower courts, the Bench declined to grant interim relief to the state, choosing instead to closely monitor the progress of the trial before considering any further intervention.
The legal battle escalated to the top court after the Meghalaya High Court upheld a trial court order granting conditional bail to Raghuvanshi. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the State of Meghalaya, urgently mentioned the matter before a partial working days Bench. Mehta contended that the bail was secured entirely due to a typographical blunder by the investigating agency, which mistakenly cited Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—relating to dishonest misappropriation of property—instead of the murder provision under Section 103(1) in the official arrest records. Argumentatively, the State maintained that such a procedural lapse should not outweigh the sheer gravity of the offense, warning that the accused posed a significant flight risk and seeking an immediate stay on the bail operation.
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The sensational case dates back to May 2025, when the newly married couple vanished after checking out of a homestay in Nongriat during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Their rented scooter was later discovered abandoned near Sohrarim. On June 2, 2025, Raja Raghuvanshi’s mutilated body was recovered from a deep gorge near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra. Sonam Raghuvanshi remained untraceable for days until an extensive investigation by the Meghalaya Police led to her arrest on June 8 from a roadside eatery near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Investigators subsequently filed a massive chargesheet spanning over 700 pages, alleging that the murder was a premeditated contract killing masterminded by Sonam and her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha, for financial gain. While co-accused Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi continue to remain in judicial custody, Sonam managed to secure her liberty on procedural grounds.
The intense legal dispute was triggered after the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial) in Shillong granted Sonam bail in April, a decision subsequently upheld by the Meghalaya High Court on June 29. The High Court had severely criticized the police, holding that the investigating agency had repeatedly cited incorrect penal provisions in the arrest checklist and case diary extracts. This failure, the High Court noted, meant the actual grounds of arrest were never properly communicated to the accused, labeling the lapse a total non-application of judicial mind that violated vital constitutional safeguards guaranteed under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution of India.
Prior to the apex court hearing, Advocate Sudev Thapa, representing Sonam Raghuvanshi before the Meghalaya High Court, defended the lower court’s decision, asserting that the High Court had already disposed of the State’s plea and rejected its request for a stay. Thapa also noted that the defense team only became aware of the Supreme Court proceedings through media reports, maintaining that the technical grounds on which the bail was granted were legally sound and thoroughly justified.
In the wake of the judicial embarrassment, the Meghalaya government and state police leadership have retreated into silence. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma stated that he was not aware of the intricate details of the matter, while Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong similarly declined to comment on the merits of the case, noting that the entire trial now remains under the strict scrutiny of the Supreme Court.
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