Sonam bail hearing postponed to May 21

Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday deferred hearing on the Meghalaya govt’s petition against bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja, and posted the matter for May 21.The HC postponed the hearing for a day after the counsel for the accused sought time.On May 18, the HC did not take up the matter as the presiding judge was occupied with other cases and had deferred the hearing to May 20; it has now been postponed again to May 21.A single bench of Justice Wanlura Diengdoh had on May 12 heard the criminal petition filed by the Meghalaya government challenging the bail granted to Sonam by a lower court.Sonam was granted conditional bail by additional DC (judicial), Shillong, Dashalene R. Kharbteng, on April 27, citing procedural lapses during her arrest, saying she was not made aware of the correct section of the BNS under which she was held.The state govt has maintained that the accused was aware of the grounds of her arrest and submitted supporting documents in court on May 4, seeking revocation of the bail.East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem also maintained that Sonam was made fully aware by the police that she was being arrested for murder and that a ‘clerical error’ on mentioning the BNS provision had led to her securing bail.Indore-based transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered at Sohra (Cherrapunji) in May 2025 by a hired gang of killers, allegedly at the behest of his wife during their honeymoon trip.