SHILLONG : East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem on Monday said the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi in the murder case of her husband, Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, was due to a “clerical error” in the section cited under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), but maintained that it would not impact the ongoing trial.
Speaking to reporters, Syiem said the accused received bail because the section number was mistakenly written as 403 instead of 103.
“The person was given bail on the ground that due to clerical error, the number of section was changed from 103 to 403. There is no 403 in the BNS,” he said.
The SP asserted that the accused was informed about the grounds of arrest at every stage of the legal process.
“It is not that the grounds of arrest were not made to understand. When the transit remand was made also, the grounds of arrest were given to understand to the accused,” he said.
He further stated that during production before the court, the accused was clearly informed that she had been arrested in connection with a murder case.
“During production also the ground of arrest was given to understand and the accused understood that she was arrested for murder. But court has taken a different stand and given order that grounds of arrest were not made to be understood by the accused,” Syiem added.
Police have already challenged the bail order and appealed against it.
“We have appealed for that. It does not mean that there will be any difference in the trial and the chargesheet is there. We have enough evidence against the accused. Bail does not in any way dilute the outcome of the trial,” he said.
According to Syiem, Raghuvanshi was first produced before a magistrate in Ghazipur, where police secured transit remand based on murder charges.
“She was produced in Ghazipur before magistrate out there and we got transit remand from there based on section of murder. When she was produced again out here before the production magistrate also she was given to understand that the offence committed was for murder,” he said.
On the issue of legal aid, the SP said it falls under the discretion of the court.
“Any accused who actually does not have any counsel, will be provided legal aid,” he said.
A hearing in the matter is expected on Tuesday, while Syiem declined to comment further on the judicial process. However, he noted that the case has moved unusually fast compared to most criminal trials.
“The fact that trial has started just shows that the wheels of justice have moved. Usually trials start after a few years. This has started very fast,” he said.