Gauhati High Court reserves order on Congress leader Pawan Khera's bail plea

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea of Congress leader Pawan Khera.

Assam police have filed an FIR against Khera. On April 7 Assam Police had arrived at Khera's residence in New Delhi. The police could not find him.

Congress leader Pawan Khera had alleged that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple passports, has properties in USA, Dubai and parked money shell companies.


Also read: Assam chief secretary holds review after Guwahati cloudburst-like rainfall

A bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia reserved the verdict after hearing extensive submissions. Appearing for Khera, advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, along with advocate Kamal Narayan Choudhury argued that it was a politically motivated case.

Assam Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, appearing for the state. “This is not a simple defamation case."

Saikia argued that Khera had allegedly used “fake and manufactured documents, seals and stamps” to defame Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma for political mileage.

Earlier the Telangana High Court had on April 10 granted Khera transit anticipatory bail for a week, observing that his apprehension of arrest was reasonable and allowing him to approach the appropriate court.

However, the Assam government challenged this before the Supreme Court of India, which on April 15 stayed the transit bail.

The apex court later declined to vacate the stay or extend relief. Following this, Khera approached the Gauhati High Court seeking relief.

Earlier the Court of chief Judicial officer Kamrup Metro on April 7 had rejected Assam Police’s plea for issuance of non-bailable warrant (NBW) of arrest against Khera in a case filed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife over allegations of her possessing multiple passports and foreign property.

Also read: Inside Assam’s big contest: Sarma’s dominance vs Gogoi’s comeback bet

Meanwhile Gauhati High court has granted a further four weeks' time to the respondents to respond to a bunch of PIL petitions seeking actions against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for making alleged hate speeches.

A bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Kumar Dev Choudhury has listed the matter for May 28. The court has directed the State Government and the Assam CM to file their affidavits by the next date of hearing.