The brother of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was murdered during his honeymoon in Meghalaya last year, announced on Tuesday that the family will approach the Supreme Court to seek cancellation of the bail granted to the main accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi. This decision came a day after the Meghalaya High Court dismissed the state government's petition challenging the bail.
High Court upholds bail citing police lapses
On Monday, the Meghalaya High Court rejected the state government's plea to cancel the bail granted to Sonam by a lower court on April 27, 2026. The High Court noted serious procedural errors by the police in informing Sonam of the grounds of her arrest, which it deemed a violation of Article 22(1) of the Indian Constitution and Section 47(1) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
In its order, the court stated: "If this is the manner in which the intimation of the grounds of arrest is made, the same reflects a total non-application of judicious mind on the part of the arresting agency, which strikes at the root of the process of arrest of an accused person." The court concluded that the arrestee has a strong case to argue that no effective grounds were communicated to her at the initial stage of arrest.
Family vows to continue legal fight
Raja's elder brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecution's handling of the case. Speaking from Indore, he said: "We will appeal to the Supreme Court for cancellation of Sonam's bail and will soon initiate the process of filing the petition." He added that the family will hire a private lawyer to ensure justice is served, indicating a lack of confidence in the state's legal efforts.
Vipin also questioned how the Meghalaya Police could have committed such a legal lapse, saying: "I still cannot understand how the Meghalaya Police could have committed a legal lapse in not informing Sonam of the grounds of arrest when arresting her."
Background of the case
Sonam Raghuvanshi was arrested on June 9, 2025, from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on charges of conspiracy to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. She spent over 10 months in judicial custody at Shillong District Jail before being granted bail. The couple had married on May 11, 2025, in Indore and left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20. Sonam went missing on May 23, and Raja's body was discovered on June 2, 2025, in a deep ravine near a waterfall in the Sohra area (Cherrapunji) of East Khasi Hills district.
In addition to Sonam, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three of his friends were also arrested in connection with the murder. The case has drawn significant public attention due to the gruesome nature of the crime and the legal complexities surrounding the bail.
Legal implications
The High Court's ruling highlighted the importance of adhering to constitutional safeguards during arrests. Article 22(1) guarantees an arrested person the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest and to consult a lawyer of their choice. Section 47(1) of the BNSS similarly mandates that police inform the accused of the charges and grounds at the time of arrest. The court's finding that these provisions were violated has strengthened Sonam's legal position, but the victim's family remains determined to pursue the case in the Supreme Court.
