Honeymoon Murder Bail: Supreme Court Allows Bail to Continue for Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder Accused

Honeymoon Murder Bail: The Supreme Court has refused to immediately cancel the bail granted to the main accused in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, stating that the matter requires detailed examination. The court will hear the case again on July 9 while allowing the existing bail order to continue.

The Meghalaya government had challenged the High Court’s decision to grant temporary bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is accused of murdering her husband during their honeymoon. Since the accused has already been released from custody, the Supreme Court observed that there was no need for immediate intervention before hearing all parties.

A bench comprising Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Shail Nagu expressed certain reservations about the High Court’s order but declined to stay it at this stage. The court also issued a notice to the accused and scheduled the next hearing for July 9.

The case dates back to May last year when Sonam Raghuvanshi and her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, residents of Indore, travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. Nine days after they went missing, Raja’s body was recovered from a gorge in the Cherrapunji region. Sonam was later arrested in connection with the alleged murder.

The High Court granted temporary bail after noting discrepancies in the police chargesheet. According to the court, an incorrect legal provision was mentioned in the arrest documents and chargesheet, raising questions about whether the accused had been properly informed of the charges. The Meghalaya government argued that the mistake was only a typographical error and did not affect the investigation. However, the High Court was not convinced and granted bail, prompting the state to approach the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court will now examine the legal issues in detail before deciding whether the bail order should continue or be set aside.