Shillong, May 18: East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem on Monday said that the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi, resulted from a clerical error in the section number mentioned in court documents and would not affect the ongoing murder trial.
Speaking to reporters, Syiem said the error involved the mention of an incorrect section under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “The person was given bail on the ground that due to clerical error, the number of section was changed from 103 to 403,” Syiem said. “There is no 403 in the BNS,” he added.
The SP also disputed the court’s observation that the grounds of arrest were not properly explained to the accused. “It is not that the grounds of arrest were not made to understand,” he said. “When the transit remand was made also, the ground of arrest was given to understand to the accused. During production also the ground of arrest was given to understand and the accused understood that she was arrested for murder,” he stated.
According to Syiem, the police have already challenged the court’s interpretation. “Court has taken a different stand and given order that grounds of arrest were not made to be understood by the accused,” he said. “We have appealed for that.”
Despite the bail order, the SP asserted that the investigation is complete and the prosecution possesses sufficient evidence against the accused. “It does not mean that there will be any difference in the trial and the chargesheet is there,” Syiem said. “We have enough evidence against the accused. Bail does not in any way dilute the outcome of the trial,” he added.
Syiem further informed that Raghuvanshi had been informed about the murder charge during remand proceedings both in Ghazipur and Shillong. “She was produced in Ghazipur before magistrate out there and we got transit remand from there based on section of murder,” he said. “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 added.
On the issue of legal representation, the SP said the provision of legal aid falls under the jurisdiction of the court. “Legal aid, that’s the discretion of the court out there. I am quite sure that she may have given legal aid out there. Any accused who actually does not have any counsel, will be provided legal aid,” he said.
Syiem also informed that the matter is scheduled for hearing on Tuesday. “There will be hearing tomorrow, let us see what the outcome is,” he said. Commenting on the pace of the proceedings, the SP noted that the trial had begun unusually quickly compared to most criminal cases. “I cannot comment on it because that is work of the court, how trial proceeds and progresses,” he said. “But the fact that trial has started just shows that the wheels of justice has moved. Usually, trials start after few years. This has started very fast,” he added.
