The Supreme Court of India on Friday refused to put an interim stay on the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. The vacation bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu passed the order.

Accused Currently Residing in Shillong

The apex court observed that the accused has already been released from prison and is currently residing in Shillong, Meghalaya, under the strict guidelines and conditions laid down in her bail order. Therefore, an immediate stay on her bail cannot be executed at this stage.

However, the Supreme Court expressed strong reservations and dissatisfaction with the Meghalaya High Court's rationale behind granting bail to the accused. The top court has issued a formal notice to Sonam Raghuvanshi, scheduling the matter for a detailed subsequent hearing.

Victim’s Family Demands CBI Probe

Following the court's decision, the family of the deceased, Raja Raghuvanshi, expressed strong disappointment. Vipin Raghuvanshi, the elder brother of the victim, stated that flaws in the initial local police investigation allowed the accused to secure bail on technical grounds. The family has demanded that the entire murder case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), asserting that a thorough federal probe from the beginning would have prevented the accused from walking free.