Our Bureau
NEW DELHI/SHILLONG, July 3: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to stay the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, but listed the state government’s challenge for further hearing next week.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu issued notice on the Meghalaya government’s plea and directed Sonam to file a counter-affidavit. However, the Court declined to stay the High Court order as the accused has already been released on bail.
“We have a reservation, prima facie, about the High Court order. We will see how the trial proceeds. The fact remains that she was informed about the grounds. In the earlier bail pleas, she did not raise this issue,” the Bench observed.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Meghalaya government, told the Court that the facts of the case would “shock the Court’s conscience” and described them as “really painful”.
He referred to the recent Lohagad Fort murder case in Pune, where a young man was allegedly killed by his fiancée and her lover, and noted that “such incidents are increasing”. Mehta also informed the Court that the trial had already commenced and more than 90 prosecution witnesses were yet to be examined. He argued that the impugned judgment set a “wrong precedent”.
Advocate General Amit Kumar, who also appeared for the state, informed the Court that counsel for the accused was present during the hearing. After hearing the submissions, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on July 9 (Thursday) and asked the parties to file their replies before the next date.
On June 29, the Meghalaya High Court had upheld the order of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial), Shillong, granting bail to Sonam on April 27. The High Court had found serious procedural lapses in the manner in which the grounds of arrest were communicated to the accused and observed that it reflected a “total non-application of judicious mind” by the police.
Raja’s family renews demand
for CBI investigation
Utterly dissatisfied with the turn of events, Raja Raghuvanshi’s family on Friday renewed their demand for a CBI investigation, alleging that lapses by the Meghalaya Police enabled the prime accused—his widow Sonam—to secure bail.
Raja’s elder brother Vipin Raghuvanshi questioned the government’s “dual standards” in high-profile cases. “An order for a CBI investigation is immediately issued upon the death of a child of an influential person,” he said, adding that more than a year had passed since his brother’s murder, yet no CBI probe had been ordered.
Vipin claimed that had the CBI been entrusted with the investigation from the outset, Sonam would not have been able to exploit the legal lapses of the state police in court. He reiterated the family’s apprehension that Sonam, who is currently staying in Shillong as per bail conditions, could tamper with evidence or influence witnesses if she remains out on bail for a prolonged period.
“My family has full faith in the judiciary. We are hopeful of getting justice,” Vipin said.
Sonam, arrested on June 9 last year from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, spent over 10 months in judicial custody in Shillong District Jail before being released on bail on April 27.
