New Delhi, Jul 23 The Supreme Court on Thursday said that cases like Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is accused of killing her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in 2025, are bound to happen in a changing society.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale observed that the present generation may be "more knowledgeable than us" but in terms of dealing with pressure, they are more vulnerable.
The observations came while setting aside the bail granted to Sonam and directing her to surrender in three weeks before police.
The accused, a resident of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, was arrested in June last year in connection with the killing of her businessman husband Raja Raghuvanshi.
The couple had gone missing while vacationing in Meghalaya's Sohra area on May 23 last year. Subsequently, Raja's body was found in a deep gorge on June 2, 2025.
The police have alleged that Sonam conspired with hired assailants to kill her husband for financial gains.
"Such incidents are bound to happen in a changing society... Modern-day generation is restless. They want quick solutions to problems. We will have a lot of cases of personal laws," Justice Sundresh said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Meghalaya government, told the court that the present generation may have more information due to social media but they do not have knowledge.
Justice Varale said in today's time, whatever is being shared on WhatsApp is being treated as knowledge.
"There are comic reels where husband goes to honeymoon with bodyguards. That trust or relationship between a man and a woman who become husband and wife is diminishing. Earlier, the joint family system used to take care of the relationship," Mehta said.
Responding to his submission, the bench said, "If you are a member of a joint family, you will learn to take disappointment and will adjust. In a nuclear family, you cry at small things. You get agitated if you do not get them."
Mehta said there is a report that says depression is on the rise because of the nuclear family system.
Justice Sundresh then said, "Children will learn from uncles, aunts and grandparents. Recently, I saw a child was crying in a hotel and immediately, the parents gave a mobile phone and the child stopped crying.
"This is the larger problem. Instead of emotions, they are giving a gadget."
The top court further remarked that the present-day mind is an extremely animated one and they get agitated for small things.
