Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday, April 10, granted one week of transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with an FIR registered by the Assam Police, offering him temporary protection from arrest.
During the hearing of a petition filed by Khera, Justice Sujana Kalasikam said, “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.”
Court hearing and arguments
During the hearing on Thursday, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khera, argued that the case was a result of political vendetta and that multiple serious offences had been invoked over remarks made at a press conference.
He questioned the necessity of arrest, stating that authorities had added “every offence that can be imagined” merely to harass his client.
Singhvi also criticised the Assam Police for sending around 100 personnel to Delhi to arrest Khera, calling the move excessive for what he described as essentially a defamation case.
Defence on flight risk
Addressing concerns raised in court, Singhvi submitted that Khera is a well-known public figure with regular media appearances and therefore not a flight risk.
He pointed to Khera’s connections with Hyderabad, noting that his wife, Kota Neelima, resides there permanently and that he frequently stays in the city.
He also informed the court that the Supreme Court of India had earlier granted Khera interim protection from arrest in a similar matter registered by the Assam Police.
Assam government’s objection
Opposing the plea, Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia questioned why Khera had approached the Telangana High Court instead of courts in Assam or Delhi. He argued that there was no material to show Khera was a resident of Telangana and maintained that the petition was not maintainable.
Saikia denied any political motive behind the case and alleged that Khera had committed forgery and was misleading the court. He asserted that there was no threat to Khera’s life in Assam that would prevent him from seeking anticipatory bail there.
Background of the case
The FIR was registered after Khera, along with Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, made allegations during press conferences in Delhi and Guwahati on April 5.
They claimed that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan, held multiple foreign passports and had undisclosed assets abroad, including properties in Dubai and a company registered in Wyoming in the United States.
Following the remarks, a complaint was filed by Riniki Bhuyan with the Assam Police. The case includes charges such as defamation, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Assam Police also searched Khera’s Delhi residence on April 7 as part of the investigation, while chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma initiated separate legal proceedings over what he termed “fake allegations.”
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