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A file image of accused Sonam and victim Raja Raghuvanshi. (Photo:X)

Shillong, June 30: The Meghalaya High Court has confirmed the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the main suspect in the high-profile honeymoon murder case involving Raja Raghuvanshi. This decision comes after the state government's appeal against her bail was dismissed.

A single bench led by Justice W. Diengdoh rejected the Meghalaya government's challenge to the April 2026 ruling made by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial) in Shillong.

The High Court had reserved its judgment on June 10 following extensive arguments from both parties. A detailed ruling is still pending.

Sonam was granted bail after the lower court determined that the arresting officers had inadequately communicated the reasons for her arrest, which compromised her defense.

The court noted that all documents related to her arrest, including the arrest memo and case diary extracts, incorrectly cited Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) instead of the relevant Section 103(1) concerning murder.

Disregarding the prosecution's assertion that this was a mere typographical error, the Shillong court emphasized that the incorrect section was consistently referenced across various documents, and Sonam was never formally informed that she was being arrested for murder.

In its appeal to the High Court, the Meghalaya government contended that this procedural error did not result in any real prejudice to the accused.

Advocate General Amit Kumar, representing the state, argued that Sonam was fully aware of the murder allegations, citing her signatures on arrest documents and her presence before the magistrate during remand proceedings, along with her legal representation from the beginning.

The state also referenced a Supreme Court ruling in State of Karnataka v. Sri Darshan (2025), claiming that such procedural discrepancies are curable defects unless demonstrable prejudice is shown, and should not alone warrant bail.

During the hearings, Justice Diengdoh raised concerns about the repeated errors in the arrest documents, suggesting they appeared to be template-based. The court also pointed out that one section of the arrest form mistakenly labeled the accused as a "deserter" from the armed forces, raising questions about the accuracy of the documentation.

The Advocate General argued that despite these errors, Sonam clearly understood the charges against her and warned of a significant risk of her fleeing. However, the court highlighted that the bail conditions were clear and any breach would lead to legal consequences.

This case revolves around the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore businessman who traveled to Meghalaya with his wife Sonam for their honeymoon shortly after their marriage in May 2025. The couple went missing during their stay in Sohra, prompting a large-scale search operation. Raja's body was eventually found in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls, showing multiple injuries, while Sonam was unaccounted for until her arrest days later.

According to the Meghalaya Police, Sonam allegedly plotted with her lover and hired attackers to kill Raja during their honeymoon. Several co-accused have been apprehended from various states. Following the investigation, a chargesheet was filed, and the trial is currently in progress.