Telangana HC grants Pawan Khera transit anticipatory bail in Assam CM case

Guwahati, April 10: In a temporary legal reprieve for Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, the Telangana High Court granted him transit anticipatory bail for one week in connection with a case filed by Assam Police over allegations he made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.

Hearing Khera’s petition, Justice Sujana Kalasikam directed the Congress leader for one week within which time he can move a regular anticipatory bail plea before the concerned court having jurisdiction.

“The petitioner is granted time for one week to file an application before the concerned court. Granting relief to the petitioner for one week with the conditions,” the court observed.

Appearing for Khera, Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the FIR registered by Assam Police was a result of political vendetta.

Singhvi alleged that the FIR had been loaded with every possible charge to exert pressure on a political opponent.

He argued that even if the Congress leader's statements turned out to be wrong, the case was one of defamation, and there was no reason to arrest him.

“Khera is not absconding. He is ready to cooperate. He came to this court only because he was in Hyderabad with his wife when he learnt about the FIR,” Singhvi said.

Appearing for Assam Police, Advocate General of Assam Devajit Saikia challenged the maintainability of the anticipatory bail petition in Hyderabad.

He submitted that Khera, a resident of Delhi, has not shown any reason why he cannot file the petition in Assam.

Chief Minister on Thursday defended the police action, asserting that law enforcement was merely performing its duty.

“We have put the police after Khera. Whom else will we task it with? It is not the ULFA that is after him; it is the police. If there is an FIR, it is the duty of the police to act on it,” Sarma told the press at the state BJP headquarters after polling for the Assembly elections ended.

Backing the police pursuit, Sarma further said, “Police are slaves of the law, and they’re going to the house of a person named in a case, which is legal. The police are paid salaries to go to the houses of criminals.”

The controversy stems from allegations made by Khera on April 5, when he claimed that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed multiple passports and owned foreign properties which, according to him, were not disclosed in the chief minister’s election affidavit.

A case against Khera was registered at Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to false statements in connection with elections and cheating.

Following the allegations, an Assam Police team had visited Khera’s Delhi residence earlier this week for questioning in the matter. They, however, could not find him.

Earlier this week, the chief minister had also lashed out at the Congress for allegedly failing to verify documents before levelling accusations against him and his family.

Claiming that Khera had “fled” to Hyderabad, Sarma had remarked, “He has run away to Hyderabad, but Assam Police will hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld).”

With inputs from agencies