SHILLONG : The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is facing trial in the alleged murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya’s Sohra last year, should consider surrendering and standing trial. The court also expressed concern over her actions following the incident.A Bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale was hearing the Meghalaya government’s appeal against the bail granted to Sonam.
During the proceedings, the judges told her legal counsel that the court could either decide the matter on its merits or direct her to surrender while the trial continues. “We are putting it to you because we don’t want to catch you by surprise and at the same time you should also understand our mind. You just get instructions and come back to us,” Justice Sundresh said. The Bench also questioned Sonam’s conduct after her husband’s death.”How do you explain your conduct? Their (police) case is that you along with deceased went to that place. The occurrence took place where he was attacked and died. What did you do thereafter? That’s the primary issue. Secondly, regarding the grounds of arrest, did you raise it at the earliest point of time?” the court observed.
According to the prosecution, Sonam and Raja travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon shortly after their wedding in May 2025. Investigators allege that she, along with her alleged lover and three hired men, planned Raja’s murder. His body was later recovered from a gorge in Sohra after the couple was reported missing. Appearing for the Meghalaya government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Sonam deliberately took her husband to a secluded location where the attackers were already waiting. “She lured her husband to an isolated place in the hills. Three persons hired through her paramour were also following her. Eventually the husband was killed, the wife participated in it, and the body was thrown down the gorge. He didn’t die because of the throwing. He was killed first and then was thrown,” Mehta submitted.The prosecution further claimed that Sonam later surrendered in Uttar Pradesh on the advice of her alleged lover and was fully aware of the reasons behind her arrest.
Meanwhile, Sonam’s lawyer maintained that the case rests entirely on circumstantial evidence and argued that media coverage had unnecessarily influenced public perception.Without commenting on the merits of the allegations, the Supreme Court said it was not inclined to examine the evidence in detail at this stage.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on Thursday.
The case reached the apex court after the Meghalaya High Court upheld a trial court order granting Sonam bail over an error in the arrest memo, which cited a wrong provision of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.