In the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, the main accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, has been granted bail by the court with certain conditions, which she must strictly follow.
She is not allowed to leave Shillong and must stay there.
The court has also said that she must be present in court at every hearing.
She will have to fully cooperate with the police in the investigation.
She must not attempt to influence the witnesses in any way.
Bail was granted on a personal bond of ₹50,000 along with two sureties.
The court granted bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi on the basis of flaws in the arrest procedure carried out by the police.
Sonam Raghuvanshi had been in jail in Shillong for the past 10 months.
Sonam’s father, Devilal Raghuvanshi, along with her uncle, has reached Shillong and submitted the bond amount. She is likely to be released on Wednesday.
Photo: @Sameer Khan/BBC Hindi
The court found that the police did not properly explain the arrest process. In the murder case, there was no clear mention or proper documentation under Section 103 of the BNS, and the necessary signatures were not found. Due to the lack of clear information regarding the grounds of arrest, the court granted bail.
The court held that the accused’s fundamental rights under Article 22(1) of the Constitution were violated. Referring to certain Supreme Court judgments in its decision, the court ordered the grant of bail.
The court observed delays in the police investigation and stated that out of 90 witnesses, statements from only four had been recorded.
Sonam Raghuvanshi was taken into judicial custody by the police on 9 June 2025. Out of 90 witnesses, only 4 have recorded their statements so far. The hearing has also been affected due to a supplementary charge sheet.
Considering these conditions, the court said that it is not right to keep the accused in jail for an indefinite period.
Raja Raghuvanshi murder case family is not happy with this court decision.
The court has granted bail, but with certain conditions that Sonam Raghuvanshi must follow. If she fails to comply with them, she may be sent back to jail.
