Nearly a year after a honeymoon trip to Meghalaya ended in tragedy, Sonam Raghuvanshi — the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi — has been granted bail by a court in Shillong. The decision came after three earlier bail pleas had been rejected.
Sonam had been in jail for around ten months while the investigation into the sensational case continued. Following the court’s order, she was released from Shillong jail after her family completed the required formalities. Sources said her father and cousin had travelled to Shillong to submit the surety bond needed for her release.
The case dates back to May 2025, when Raja and Sonam travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. After arriving in Shillong, the couple went to Sohra in the East Khasi Hills district, a popular tourist destination known for its waterfalls and scenic valleys.
On May 26, the couple suddenly went missing, triggering concern among authorities and family members. A large search operation was launched in the region involving police teams and rescue personnel who combed through the difficult terrain.
Several days later, on June 2, Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was found in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra. The discovery shocked investigators and quickly turned the missing persons case into a suspected murder investigation.
As the probe progressed, suspicion began to focus on Sonam. She was later detained in Uttar Pradesh during the investigation. According to officials, she allegedly admitted to being involved in a conspiracy to kill her husband with the help of her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three other individuals.
Police arrested Kushwaha along with the other accused, and they remain in custody. Among the five accused named in the case, Sonam was the only one who moved the court seeking bail.
Her bail plea was filed through the legal aid cell of the East Khasi Hills District and Sessions Judge Court. The defense argued that the investigation had already been completed and that a chargesheet had been filed, meaning there was no need to keep her in custody any longer.
Sonam also told the court that she had cooperated with investigators during the probe and would continue to do so during the legal proceedings.
By the time the court granted bail, she had already spent ten months in jail.
The development comes months after investigators submitted a detailed 790-page chargesheet before a court in Sohra. The document reportedly outlines the sequence of events, witness testimonies, forensic findings, and other evidence collected during the investigation. It names five individuals as accused in connection with Raja Raghuvanshi’s death.
The case attracted widespread attention across the country due to the shocking circumstances surrounding the murder. What began as a honeymoon trip soon turned into a complex investigation involving multiple arrests and allegations of a planned conspiracy.
Authorities had faced significant challenges while searching the rugged landscape of Sohra, where deep gorges and dense vegetation make rescue operations extremely difficult. The recovery of Raja’s body from a gorge was a crucial moment that helped investigators move forward with the case.
Although Sonam Raghuvanshi has now been released on bail, the legal battle is far from over. The case will move forward in court, where the prosecution and defense will present their arguments and evidence.
Raj Kushwaha and the other accused remain in judicial custody as the trial process prepares to begin.
For now, the bail order marks a new chapter in a case that has continued to draw public attention — one that began with a honeymoon journey but ended in a tragic and controversial murder investigation.