SupremeCourt – Hearing on Sonam Raghuvanshi Bail Challenge Deferred to July 14
SupremeCourt – The Supreme Court on Thursday postponed the hearing on the Meghalaya government’s challenge to bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, an accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi honeymoon murder case. The matter will now be heard on July 14. The court also asked the state to submit the arrest memo and other records that were provided to Raghuvanshi when she was taken into custody.
No Interim Stay on Bail Order
A Bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and Shree Chandrashekhar did not issue an interim direction to suspend the bail order. As a result, Raghuvanshi will continue to remain on bail until the court takes a further decision.
The Meghalaya government has challenged a June 29 ruling of the Meghalaya High Court, which upheld the bail granted by a Shillong court. The state has argued that the High Court gave undue importance to an error in the arrest documents while considering the legality of the bail order.
State Questions High Court’s Reasoning
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Meghalaya government, told the court that the case involved serious allegations and that the written grounds for arrest had been supplied to the accused. He said the issue in the documents was limited to an incorrect section number.
According to the state, the papers referred to Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita instead of Section 103(1), the provision dealing with murder. Mehta maintained that this was a typographical mistake and not a failure to inform the accused about the grounds for her arrest.
The Solicitor General said there had been no disagreement over whether the written grounds of arrest were handed over to Raghuvanshi. He sought permission to place a typed set of documents before the court for consideration.
Court Seeks Original Arrest Records
The Bench, however, indicated that the question was broader than the reference to a statutory provision. Justice Misra observed that the court would need to examine whether the accused had been informed of the general circumstances and factual basis of the case against her.
The court directed the Meghalaya authorities to produce photocopies of the original arrest memo and the documents supplied to Raghuvanshi at the time of her arrest. It said the records would be reviewed to determine whether the state’s challenge to the bail order had sufficient legal basis.
The matter was then listed for hearing on July 14.
Accused Denies Allegations in Affidavit
In a counter-affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, Raghuvanshi denied the allegations and said she had been wrongly implicated. She stated that the prosecution’s case was based on circumstantial evidence and argued that allegations alone could not establish guilt.
She also told the court that the investigation had been completed and a chargesheet had already been filed. According to her affidavit, no further recovery was pending from her, and she had complied with the conditions imposed while granting bail.
Raghuvanshi said she has been living in Shillong in line with the trial court’s directions. She further submitted that there was no likelihood of her influencing witnesses or interfering with evidence.
Background of the Bail Dispute
The Supreme Court had issued notice on the Meghalaya government’s petition on July 3 but had declined to halt the High Court order at that stage, noting that Raghuvanshi had already been released. The court had nevertheless expressed preliminary concerns about the reasoning adopted by the High Court and sought her response.
The High Court had declined to interfere with an April 2026 order of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial) in Shillong. The trial court had granted bail after finding procedural defects in the arrest process.
It noted that arrest papers repeatedly cited Section 403(1) instead of the murder provision under Section 103(1). The court concluded that the accused had not been properly informed that she was being arrested in connection with a murder allegation and rejected the prosecution’s claim that the mistake was insignificant.
Case Linked to Honeymoon Trip
The case concerns the death of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who travelled to Meghalaya with his wife, Sonam, after their marriage in May 2025. Investigators have alleged that Sonam conspired with her alleged lover and arranged for assailants to kill Raja during the trip.
Police have completed their investigation and filed a chargesheet. The trial in the case is currently underway.