How a typo by cops helped Meghalaya honeymoon murder accused secure bail

A Meghalaya court granted Sonam Raghuvanshi bail after finding serious flaws in her arrest documents. She is accused of murdering her husband while the couple was on their honeymoon last year.

In Short

• Court records cited Section 403(1), which the judge said does not exist
• The murder charge under Section 103(1) was omitted from arrest papers
• Judges rejected police claims that the defect was merely clerical

A Meghalaya court has granted bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the woman accused in the high-profile 2025 murder of her husband while on honeymoon, over a troubling paperwork error by the police: The application of a section of India's criminal code that does not exist.

The police termed it a clerical error, but the court had none of it as it granted bail to Sonam Raghuvanshi after noting that her arrest memo had mentioned a non-existent Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The BNS, which replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code nearly two years ago, does not have any section numbered 403(1). The relevant section on murder is actually numbered 103(1), suggesting that a typo may have been behind the mistake.

According to the court order, Sonam Raghuavnshi's arrest memo, inspection memo, intimation of rights memo, and even entries in the case diary mentioned a "non-existent Section 403(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita".

Rejecting the police argument of a “clerical error”, the court said the accused was not given “effective grounds for arrest”, making the arrest legally untenable.

NO PROOF OF LEGAL ACCESS

The court also pointed to another lapse, saying there was nothing on record to show that Sonam was given access to a lawyer when she was first produced before a court in Ghazipur after her arrest.

Because of this, she could not challenge the defects in the arrest at an earlier stage.

BAIL WITH RESTRICTIONS

While granting bail, the court imposed conditions, directing that Sonam should not leave Shillong district without prior permission.

Her brother, Govind Raghuvanshi, said the family was still awaiting the court order and unsure about her immediate release or stay arrangements.

“I also learned that Sonam has been granted bail, but the court order is still pending I don’t know when she’ll be released, where she’ll be staying,” he said.

He added that the family may not take her home immediately. “We won’t keep her in the house right now If my parents want to bring her home, I won’t be staying at home.”

CASE BACKGROUND

Sonam Raghuvanshi is accused of plotting the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.

The couple had married in May 2025 and travelled from Indore to Shillong. Raja went missing days later, and his body was found on June 2 in a gorge.

Police have alleged that Sonam conspired with multiple people in the killing. Eight accused were arrested in the case, with three having secured bail earlier.

With the court finding serious flaws in the arrest process, the case now faces a legal challenge that could shape its course going forward, even as the investigation continues.

- Ends