The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing on the Meghalaya government's plea challenging the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. The matter will now be heard on July 21.

A bench comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice S. Chandrasekhar directed the Meghalaya government to produce a copy of the grounds of arrest that were served on Sonam at the time of her arrest.

The bail dispute revolves around whether the investigating agency complied with the legal requirement of furnishing the accused with the grounds of arrest. The trial court had granted bail to Sonam after observing that the mandatory arrest grounds were not properly supplied. The Meghalaya High Court later upheld that decision.

State Challenges Bail Order

The Meghalaya government has argued before the Supreme Court that Sonam was informed about the grounds of her arrest and that the controversy arose solely because of a typographical error in the arrest documents.

According to the state, the document mistakenly mentioned Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) instead of Section 103(1), which deals with murder. The government has maintained that the incorrect section number was a clerical mistake and did not prejudice the accused or invalidate the arrest procedure.

The Supreme Court is now expected to examine whether the procedural requirements under law were substantially complied with despite the drafting error.

Earlier Refusal to Stay Bail

In an earlier hearing, the apex court had declined to immediately suspend Sonam's bail, even while expressing reservations about the manner in which the High Court dealt with the issue.

A bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu had observed that, at first glance, the case did not appear to be one where the grounds of arrest had been completely withheld from the accused.

However, the court chose not to grant interim relief because Sonam had already been released on bail, had spent time in judicial custody, and sought time to file her response to the Meghalaya government's petition.

Typographical Error at Centre of Dispute

During the previous proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Meghalaya government, submitted that the mention of the wrong statutory provision was merely a typographical error.

He argued that the magistrate had explained the grounds of arrest while granting transit remand and that records supporting the procedure were available. He also contended that Sonam's earlier bail applications on merits had been rejected, and relief was subsequently granted only on the technical issue of the incorrect section number.

The Supreme Court had questioned whether a clerical mistake in citing the legal provision alone could justify granting bail, particularly when the accused had allegedly been informed about the allegations.

Background of the Murder Case

The case stems from the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman from Indore, who married Sonam Raghuvanshi on May 11, 2025.

Soon after their wedding, the couple travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. They went missing on May 23, triggering a large-scale search operation.

On June 3, 2025, Raja's body was recovered from a deep gorge in Meghalaya. The investigation later uncovered an alleged conspiracy behind the murder, leading to the arrest of several accused, including Sonam, who investigators identified as the alleged principal conspirator.

She was arrested and remained in custody before securing bail on procedural grounds.

Meanwhile, Raja Raghuvanshi's family has repeatedly demanded a CBI investigation, alleging that the case involves multiple states and requires an independent probe. Sonam has denied allegations that she attempted to flee the country after her release and has maintained that she continues to cooperate with the investigation.

The Supreme Court's hearing on July 21 is expected to determine whether the bail granted on procedural grounds can withstand judicial scrutiny.