Journalism of Courage
Supreme Court suggests Sonam Raghuvanshi surrender in Meghalaya honeymoon murder case
Don't want to catch you by surprise, the Supreme Court tells Sonam Raghuvanshi while hearing an appeal from the Meghalaya government challenging the bail granted to her.
Sonam Raghuvanshi is accused of murdering her husband Raja Raghuvanshi. (File photo),
The Supreme Court Tuesday indicated that it may ask Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, to surrender and face trial unless she chooses to do so while key witnesses are examined.
“Either we will consider and pass an order on merits, or we will pass an order making you surrender. 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,” said Justice M M Sundresh, presiding over a two-judge bench.
The bench, also comprising Justice P B Varale, suggested that voluntary surrender may be the better option.
“I think the second option is better for you. If you want to argue further, we will hear you and then decide one way or the other,” added Justice Sundresh.
The remarks came as the court was hearing the appeal filed by the Meghalaya government challenging the bail granted to Sonam.
She was arrested in connection with the May 23 murder of her newlywed husband, Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in the hill state. A Shillong court granted her bail in the case on April 27, saying the grounds of arrest had not been effectively communicated to her. The Meghalaya High Court dismissed the state’s appeal challenging the order on June 29.
The state has contended that the grounds of arrest were communicated, but due to a typographical error, Section 403 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was mentioned instead of Section 103 (murder). The state’s plea also said that the accused got bail in her fourth attempt and three of her pleas were rejected by the trial court, citing that she was a flight risk and there was a likelihood of her tampering with the evidence considering her past conduct.
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Logic of granting bail
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court questioned her conduct and the logic of granting bail if it was indeed a typographical error as was being claimed by the prosecution.
“Your conduct itself, how do you explain? Justice Sundresh asked.
He said the case of the prosecution is that she went to that place along with Raja. “That is the foundational fact. So, we will not go into the other issues. Number two, regarding the grounds of arrest, did you raise it at the earliest point of time?” Justice Sundresh asked.
The bench said that if she surrendered herself, it would consider the bail application after the trial court records the evidence of public witnesses.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, reiterated that she was fully aware of the reasons for arrest.
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He submitted that Sonam had allegedly conspired with her lover and three others to commit the murder and surrendered only after the police arrested the co-accused.
Fixing it for hearing next on July 21, the bench said it did not want to go into detailed examination of the allegations by the prosecution at this stage.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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