Guwahati, April 13: The Assam government has approached the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Telangana High Court that granted one-week transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with a criminal case registered by the Assam Police.
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| Congress leader Pawan Khera.(Image:facebook.com/pawankherainc) |
The case stems from allegations made by Khera against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan. During a recent press conference, Khera claimed that Bhuyan possessed multiple foreign passports and undisclosed assets abroad. Following the remarks, the Assam Police registered a case against the Congress leader on charges of defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
According to official reports, a team of Assam Police visited Khera's residence in New Delhi on April 7 to serve legal notices and conduct further proceedings in connection with the investigation. However, Khera was reportedly not present at his residence at the time. Subsequently, he moved the Telangana High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail to protect himself from arrest while approaching the appropriate court for regular bail.
On April 10, Justice K. Sujana of the Telangana High Court granted Khera interim relief by providing transit anticipatory bail for one week. The order allowed the Congress leader sufficient time to approach the competent court having jurisdiction over the case and seek regular anticipatory bail.
The Assam government has now challenged the High Court's decision before the Supreme Court, seeking to set aside the interim protection granted to Khera. The state has argued that the Telangana High Court's order should be reconsidered, although the detailed grounds of its appeal have not yet been made public.
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The legal battle adds a new dimension to the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam and the Congress. The case has attracted considerable attention as it involves allegations against the family of the Chief Minister and subsequent criminal proceedings initiated by the state police.
The Supreme Court is expected to examine the Assam government's plea in the coming days. The outcome of the proceedings will determine whether the interim protection granted to Pawan Khera remains in force while the investigation by the Assam Police continues.
