By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 5: The state government has filed a petition in the High Court of Meghalaya against the recent order of the lower court granting bail to prime accused Sonam Raghuvanshi in the sensational murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, in Sohra last year.
Sources said that the matter was mentioned before the Chief Justice’s Court on Monday and a notice has been issued to Sonam Raghuvanshi.
The matter will come up for hearing on May 12.
The petition under Section 528 along with Section 483 (3) of the BNSS, 2023, challenges the order dated April 27, 2026, passed by Additional DC (Judicial) D.R. Kharbteng, allowing bail application filed by Sonam Raghuvanshi on the ground that she was not informed about the grounds of arrest.
In response to the aspect that she was not informed about the grounds of her arrest, the government’s petition says the contention is factually incorrect and is also controverted by the contemporaneous documents in respect of the matter which highlights that the accused was made aware of the grounds of arrest.
The petition also said that the lower court in passing the impugned order, failed to appreciate that the chargesheet in the matter was filed on September 5, 2025, and subsequently a supplementary charge sheet was filed on February 10, 2026.
An order dated September 25, 2025, passed by the trial court also indicates that a copy of the charge sheet was supplied to the respondent. Moreover, the order dated February 17, 2026, also indicates that the supplementary charge sheet was also supplied to the counsel of the respondent. Moreover, charges were framed in the matter on October 28, 2025.
“After filing of the charge sheet and framing of charges in the matter, it is evident that the accused is aware about the facts of the matter, including the grounds of arrest. Therefore, a plea of non-communication of the grounds of arrest at this stage is contrary to the records and is made by way of an afterthought,” the petition states.
