New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of killing her husband during their honeymoon in the north-eastern state in 2025.
A bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu has asked Sonam to file a response to the Meghalaya government’s plea challenging the Meghalaya High Court order granting bail to her. The court kept the matter for further hearing on July 9.
Representing Meghalaya state, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said the allegations against Sonam were serious in nature. He also said that technical grounds should become reason to release her on bail observing the grave nature of allegations.
The top court also expressed reservation but declined to stay the order observing that Sonam is in Shilong complying with her bail conditions imposed by the High Court.
Meghalaya High Court while upholding
Shillong court’s decision to grant her bail and directed Sonam not to leave the city.
The State argued that the bail had been granted due to an error in the charges mentioned in the police documents and sought immediate intervention.
The Supreme Court, however, declined to grant any interim order at this stage.
The controversy stems from an alleged typographical error in the prosecution papers. The Meghalaya government has maintained that the mistake should not result in the accused securing bail in a murder case and has urged the Supreme Court to set aside the orders of the lower courts.
Earlier this week, the Meghalaya High Court had upheld the Shillong trial court’s order granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi after dismissing the State’s appeal. The High Court’s detailed judgment is awaited.
The case relates to the alleged murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was found dead in Meghalaya in May 2025 while on his honeymoon. Sonam Raghuvanshi has been accused of conspiring to kill her husband with the help of hired assailants. She has denied the allegations.