Supreme Court Gives Sonam Raghuvanshi Two Options in Raja Raghuvanshi Murder Case

Guwahati: Today, the Supreme Court gave Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the alleged murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, two options while hearing the Meghalaya government's appeal against the bail granted to her by a trial court and subsequently upheld by the Meghalaya High Court.

A Bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale told Sonam's counsel that the Court could either decide the state's appeal against her bail on its merits after hearing her arguments or direct her to surrender while public witnesses are examined, with the bail issue to be decided thereafter.

"You have two options. Either we will pass an order on merits, or we will ask you to surrender, let the public witnesses be examined, and meanwhile we will decide the matter on merits," the Bench orally observed.

Seeking time to obtain instructions from his client, Sonam's counsel informed the Court that he would respond on Thursday.

During the hearing, the Bench also questioned Sonam's conduct following the alleged murder and sought an explanation regarding her claim that the "grounds of arrest" had not been communicated to her.

Appearing for the Meghalaya government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed Sonam's bail, arguing that she had voluntarily surrendered before the police and therefore could not subsequently challenge her arrest on the ground that the reasons for her arrest had not been provided.

Mehta submitted that any omission in the arrest memo was merely a clerical error.

"If the accused voluntarily surrenders before the police, she cannot later claim that the grounds of arrest were not communicated. There was no reason for the police to formally arrest someone who had presented herself voluntarily," Mehta argued before the Court.

The Meghalaya government has challenged the orders of both the trial court and the Meghalaya High Court granting bail to Sonam, who is accused of conspiring to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter again on Thursday after Sonam's counsel receives instructions on whether she is willing to surrender or contest the state's appeal on its merits.

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