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Supreme Court refuses to cancel Sonam's bail (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to cancel the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, while seeking a response from the Meghalaya government. The matter will now be heard again next week.
The top court noted that Sonam has already been released from jail and is currently staying in Shillong in compliance with the conditions imposed by the trial court.
A Bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu observed that although it had reservations about the manner in which the High Court dealt with the case, it was not inclined to interfere with the bail order at this stage.
Raja Raghuvanshi Honeymoon Murder: Meghalaya Govt moves Supreme Court against Sonam’s bail
The court remarked that since Sonam had already been released, the question of her bail should ultimately be decided during the trial. It directed her to file a counter affidavit in response to the Meghalaya government's plea seeking cancellation of her bail.
During the hearing, the Bench noted that Sonam had already spent a period in judicial custody. It reiterated the long-standing legal principle that "bail is the rule and jail is the exception," adding that the seriousness of the allegations alone cannot determine whether bail should be revoked.
At the same time, the judges orally expressed reservations over the High Court's handling of the matter, though they chose not to suspend the bail order for now.
The Meghalaya government has approached the Supreme Court against a recent order of the Meghalaya High Court, which upheld the trial court's decision to grant bail to Sonam.
Earlier, Justice W. Diengdoh of the Meghalaya High Court dismissed the state's plea seeking cancellation of the bail granted on April 27.
In its order, the High Court criticised the manner in which the grounds of Sonam's arrest were communicated, observing that they reflected a "total non-application of judicious mind."
The court noted that the arrest documents did not clearly specify the allegations against the accused, making the procedure legally deficient. Finding no valid grounds to interfere with the trial court's decision, the High Court refused to cancel her bail.
Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case: Meghalaya HC rejects state’s plea against Sonam Raghuvanshi’s bail
Sonam Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore, was arrested in June last year in connection with the alleged murder of her husband, businessman Raja Raghuvanshi.
The couple had travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon in May 2025 and went missing while visiting the Sohra region. Raja's body was later recovered from a deep gorge on June 2.
According to the police, Sonam allegedly conspired with hired assailants to murder her husband for financial gain. The case remains under trial, with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear the Meghalaya government's challenge to her bail next week.
