Indore: The effigy of Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of murdering her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya earlier this year, cannot be burnt on Dussehra in place of Ravan, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered.
“From the pamphlet and the other documents which have been brought by the petitioner on record it is evident that respondent No 6 proposes to burn effigy of daughter of the petitioner on Vijayadashmi on 02.10.2025 in place of effigy of Ravan. In case the same is correct and respondent No 6 intends to do so then the same would be wholly impermissible in a democratic country like India,” Justice Pranay Verma observed.
The Court was hearing a plea by Sonam’s mother seeking directions to stop a local Indore organisation from burning an effigy of her daughter or from undertaking any similar actions of public humiliation. She further sought directions to ensure no “unlawful or unconstitutional” actions were carried out against the petitioner and her family.
“Even if the daughter of the petitioner is an accused in a criminal case and whatsoever may be the grievance of respondent against her and her family members it cannot be permitted to resort to such effigy burning which would certainly violate the fundamental rights of the petitioner, her daughter as well as his entire family. Such action on part of respondent No 6 or anyone else cannot be permitted,” the Court further said.
Authorities in the state have been directed to ensure that nobody “burns the effigy of the petitioner’s daughter or any other individual in place of the effigy of Ravan”.
Sonam’s mother, through her counsel, contended that such actions of the organisation were against “all canons of law” and were “gross violation of the fundamental rights” of the petitioner and her family. It was asserted that “such an act cannot be permitted to take place which shall tarnish the image of the petitioner and his family permanently”.
The Meghalaya Police have, meanwhile, filed a chargesheet in the matter, naming Sonam and her alleged paramour Raj Kushwaha as the primary accused in the murder. Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based businessman, was allegedly attacked with machetes, before being thrown into a gorgeous in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.
. ,