Meghalaya Seeks High Court Intervention to Revoke Bail of Sonam Raghuvanshi in Murder Case
Meghalaya Seeks High Court Intervention to Revoke Bail of Sonam Raghuvanshi in Murder Case
Digital Desk: The Meghalaya government has filed a petition with the Meghalaya High Court to revoke the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the primary suspect in her husband Raja Raghuvanshi's murder. Following preliminary discussions, the High Court instructed the state to notify Sonam of the proceedings, with a subsequent hearing set for May 12.
The state contended that the East Khasi Hills Sessions Court did not adequately weigh the gravity of the offense and its implications for justice when it approved the bail. The state emphasized that the charges against Sonam are severe and necessitate thorough judicial examination.
Sonam had been granted bail on April 27 by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial) in Shillong, almost a year post her arrest. However, the court highlighted procedural issues surrounding her arrest, including the absence of relevant checkmarks in the 'grounds of arrest' document and the incorrect reference to a legal section under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Moreover, the court noted that Sonam was not sufficiently informed about the legal basis for her arrest under Section 103(1) of the BNS, which is a more severe allegation. The assertion that this was simply a clerical error was dismissed by the court.
Additionally, it was pointed out that there is no evidence indicating that Sonam had legal counsel when she was initially presented in a Ghazipur court on June 9, 2025. On May 5, the Meghalaya High Court formally notified Sonam about the state's challenge to her bail. While her bail has not yet been revoked, the government has been instructed to formally inform her about the petition. The case is set for another hearing on May 12.
