Shillong, June 29, 2026: The Meghalaya High Court on Monday upheld a lower court’s decision granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the alleged murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, delivering a significant development in one of India’s most closely watched criminal cases.
A single bench of Justice W. Diengdoh dismissed the Meghalaya government’s appeal challenging the April 2026 bail order issued by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial), Shillong. The detailed judgment is expected to be released later.
High Court Rejects State’s Appeal
The state government had sought to overturn the bail granted to Sonam, arguing that procedural errors in the arrest documents did not cause any substantial prejudice to the accused and should not have been grounds for release.
However, the High Court declined to interfere with the lower court’s findings, effectively allowing Sonam to continue on bail while the trial process moves forward.
The court had reserved its verdict on June 10 after hearing extensive arguments from both the prosecution and defense over several days.
Why Was Bail Granted?
The Shillong court had granted bail primarily on procedural grounds, finding that investigators failed to properly communicate the legal basis of Sonam’s arrest.
According to court records, several arrest-related documents—including the arrest memo, inspection memo, arrest checklist, and portions of the case diary—repeatedly cited Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which relates to abetment of offences, instead of Section 103(1) BNS, the provision dealing with murder.
The court held that this discrepancy could not be dismissed as a minor clerical error because it appeared consistently across multiple official documents.
Court’s Observation
In its order, the lower court noted that none of the documents supplied to Sonam clearly indicated that she had been arrested under the murder provision.
The court observed that repeated references to the wrong section of law could potentially affect an accused person’s ability to understand and respond to the allegations against them.
State’s Argument Rejected
Representing the Meghalaya government, Advocate General Amit Kumar argued that Sonam was fully aware of the allegations and that the procedural defect did not materially impact her defense.
The state maintained that the error was curable and should not have resulted in bail, especially considering the seriousness of the charges.
During hearings, Justice Diengdoh reportedly questioned why the same legal provision had been incorrectly cited in multiple documents if the issue was merely a typographical mistake.
Background of the Case
The case stems from the death of Raja Raghuvanshi, a businessman from Indore, who traveled to Meghalaya with his wife Sonam for their honeymoon in May 2025.
The couple reportedly disappeared after checking out of a homestay in Nongriat on May 23, 2025.
Days later, Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra, while Sonam was later located in Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation quickly drew national attention due to the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and subsequent murder allegations.
Chargesheet and Investigation
The Meghalaya Police have filed a chargesheet reportedly running over 700 pages, alleging that Raja’s killing was the result of a pre-planned conspiracy.
Investigators claim that Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged associate Raj Kushwaha were involved in orchestrating the crime. The allegations remain subject to judicial scrutiny, and the trial is yet to determine guilt or innocence.
What Happens Next?
While the High Court’s ruling allows Sonam to remain on bail, the criminal proceedings against her continue. The trial court will now examine the evidence presented by the prosecution and defense before reaching any conclusions on the merits of the case.
Legal experts note that the High Court’s decision focuses on procedural safeguards and arrest-related compliance rather than the underlying allegations in the murder case.
