Honeymoon murder case: Sonam Raghuvanshi to remain out on bail as Supreme Court declines stay

Shillong/New Delhi: Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the sensational Raja Raghuvanshi honeymoon murder case, will continue to remain out on bail after the Supreme Court on Friday declined to immediately suspend a Meghalaya High Court order that granted her release.

The development comes as the Meghalaya government challenges the bail order before the country's highest court, arguing that the allegations against Raghuvanshi are grave and that she should not have been granted relief.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu heard the matter and indicated reservations about the High Court's decision.

"We are conscious of the fact that she was in incarceration for a while. We know that bail is the rule and jail is the exception. Regardless of how heinous the crime is, we will try to think of a balanced approach."

However, the court stopped short of staying the order, noting that Raghuvanshi has already been released from custody and is presently in Shillong in compliance with conditions imposed by the trial court.

Appearing for the Meghalaya government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the apex court to intervene immediately, contending that the seriousness of the charges warranted cancellation of bail. He argued that the accused should not be allowed to benefit from what he described as technical grounds.

Despite the state's objections, the Supreme Court declined to grant an interim stay and scheduled the matter for further consideration after the court reopens.

The latest order means Sonam Raghuvanshi will continue to remain free pending the Supreme Court's detailed examination of the state's appeal against the bail granted to her.

Why is Sonam Raghuvanshi accused?

The case attracted nationwide attention in 2025 after Raja Raghuvanshi, a businessman from Indore, and his wife Sonam disappeared during a trip to Meghalaya shortly after their marriage.

The couple reportedly went missing in the Sohra region on May 23, 2025. Days later, on June 2, Raja Raghuvanshi's body was recovered from a deep gorge, triggering a high-profile murder investigation.

Investigators subsequently arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi in June 2025, alleging that she had orchestrated a conspiracy to eliminate her husband. According to the police, hired assailants were engaged to carry out the killing, with financial motives emerging as a key line of investigation.

Sonam has denied wrongdoing, while the criminal proceedings against her and the other accused continue.

Meghalaya government challenges bail

The Meghalaya government approached the Supreme Court after the Meghalaya High Court upheld a lower court's decision granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi on June 29.

The state's appeal seeks to overturn that relief, arguing that the nature of the allegations and the stage of the trial justify keeping the accused in custody.

With ANI inputs