Honeymoon murder case: SC refuses to stay Meghalaya HC order granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi

The Supreme Court declined to stay the Meghalaya High Court's bail order for Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of murdering her husband during their honeymoon. The Meghalaya government challenged the bail, while the apex court scheduled further hearing after reopening

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the Meghalaya High Court order granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of murdering her husband during their honeymoon in 2025.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu expressed reservation over the high court order but refused to stay it, noting that Raghuvanshi has been released from jail and is in Shillong pursuant to bail conditions imposed by the trial court.

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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, said the allegations against Raghuvanshi were serious in nature and she cannot be released on technical grounds.

Mehta sought stay of the high court order but the bench refused to grant the relief.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing upon reopening of the apex court.

On Thursday, the Meghalaya government moved the Supreme Court against the bail granted to the prime accused in the case.

Sonam Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, was arrested in June last year in connection with the murder of her businessman husband Raja Raghuvanshi.

The couple had gone missing while vacationing in Meghalaya’s Sohra area on May 23 last year. Subsequently, Raja’s body was found in a deep gorge on June 2 in 2025.

Police have alleged that Sonam Raghuvanshi conspired with hired assailants to kill her husband for financial gains.

On June 29, the Meghalaya High Court had upheld a trial court order granting bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi.