Pioneer In Short
Sonam Raghuvanshi granted bail
The family of slain Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi on Tuesday questioned the bail granted to his wife Sonam by a Meghalaya court, alleging she was the “mastermind” behind his murder and demanding a CBI probe. They said they would challenge the bail order in the Meghalaya High Court. Raja went missing on May 23 last year during the couple’s honeymoon, and his mutilated body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, East Khasi Hills district. Sonam, along with several others, including her alleged boyfriend, was arrested in connection with the case. Reacting to the development, Raja’s mother Uma, expressed shock over the court’s decision, stating that the sudden grant of bail was difficult to understand.
She reiterated the family’s demand for justice and a federal probe. Raja’s elder brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, alleged possible “manipulation” in the investigation, claiming the chargesheet has not been shared with the family. He added that the defence argued procedural lapses during Sonam’s arrest. Police had filed a 790-page chargesheet in September last year, naming eight accused. Sonam had been in judicial custody for over 10 months before being granted bail.
SC: RTE cannot be denied by PVT schools
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday underscored that admission to pre-primary classes must be treated as a “national mission”, ruling that neighbourhood schools are legally bound to admit students allotted by the State under the Right to Education Act, 2009, without delay. A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe held that refusal by private unaided schools violates the fundamental right to education under Article 21A of the Constitution of India. The court stressed that 25 per cent seats for weaker and disadvantaged sections under Section 12 of the Act has the potential to transform social equality. Dismissing an appeal by Lucknow Public School, Eldico, the bench upheld a high court order directing the school to admit a child allotted under the RTE framework for the 2024-25 session. The school had denied admission, citing doubts over eligibility despite the student being on the official list.