The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the Meghalaya High Court’s order granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is accused of murdering her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. While the court expressed concerns over the High Court’s decision, it chose not to suspend the relief because Sonam had already been released from jail. The bench also issued a notice to the accused and said it would monitor the trial in the Sonam Raghuvanshi bail case.
Supreme Court refuses to suspend bail
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu heard the Meghalaya government’s plea challenging the High Court’s June 29 order, which had upheld a Shillong court’s April decision granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court observed that it had reservations about the High Court’s reasoning. However, the judges declined to stay the order, noting that Sonam was already out of jail. Instead, the court decided to keep a close watch on the progress of the trial before considering any further action in the Sonam Raghuvanshi bail matter.
Meghalaya government cites Pune murder case
Representing the Meghalaya government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the allegations against Sonam are serious and that bail should not have been granted on technical grounds.
To support his argument, Mehta referred to the recent Pune fort murder case involving businessman Ketan Agarwal. He informed the court that Agarwal was allegedly murdered by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary. The government maintained that the gravity of the charges should be considered while examining the Sonam Raghuvanshi bail issue.
Meghalaya honeymoon murder case explained
Sonam Raghuvanshi was arrested in June last year in connection with the alleged murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi.
The couple, both residents of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, got married on May 11 and travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20. They reportedly went missing three days later while visiting Sohra. Raja’s body was recovered on June 2, leading to a high-profile investigation that eventually resulted in Sonam’s arrest.
With the Supreme Court refusing to stay the High Court’s order, the legal battle now moves to the trial court, where evidence will determine the outcome of the case. The Sonam Raghuvanshi bail proceedings are expected to remain under close judicial scrutiny in the coming months.
FAQs
Q: Why did the Supreme Court refuse to stay Sonam Raghuvanshi bail?
A: The court noted that Sonam Raghuvanshi had already been released from jail and decided to monitor the trial before taking any further decision.
Q: What is the Sonam Raghuvanshi bail case about?
A: The case relates to allegations that Sonam Raghuvanshi conspired to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
Q: Why did the Meghalaya government oppose Sonam Raghuvanshi bail?
A: The state argued that the allegations are grave and that bail should not have been granted on technical grounds.
Q: What happens next after the Supreme Court’s decision?
A: The trial will continue, and the Supreme Court has said it will observe the progress of the proceedings before considering any further intervention.
