In a new development in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, co-accused Raj Kushwaha has approached the court seeking bail after prime accused Sonam Raghuvanshi was recently granted relief.
Both Sonam and Kushwaha were arrested in June 2025 in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi at Sohra in Meghalaya. As both were charged under the same sections of law, Kushwaha’s lawyer has sought bail on the ground of parity.
Sonam was granted bail after the court found serious lapses in the arrest procedure. The court observed that the police did not properly inform her of the grounds of arrest, which is a fundamental right under the Constitution of India.
Taking cue from this, Kushwaha’s lawyer, Phuyosa Yobin, moved the Sessions Court with a similar argument, stating that the arrest procedure in his client’s case was also not carried out properly. The court has reserved its order on the plea.
Earlier, the court had pointed out discrepancies in the arrest documents, noting that key sections were either missing or wrongly mentioned. In one instance, even a non-existent section was cited, raising serious questions over the legality of the arrest.
Meanwhile, three other accused in the case Akash Rajput, Anand Kurmi and Vishal Singh Chauhan continue to remain in judicial custody.
Legal experts believe that if similar procedural lapses are found in Kushwaha’s case, he may also be granted bail. However, the final decision will depend on the court’s assessment of the facts and records presented.