Guwahati, April 24: The Gauhati High Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with a case lodged by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Himanta Biswa Sarma.
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| Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera. (File Photo) |
The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia, which had reserved its verdict on April 21 after hearing detailed arguments from both sides. The court is yet to release its detailed judgment.
The case stems from allegations made by Khera claiming that Sharma held multiple foreign passports and possessed undisclosed overseas assets. Based on these claims, Sharma filed an FIR with the Guwahati Crime Branch accusing Khera of making false statements and damaging her reputation.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khera, argued that the case was politically motivated and linked to the upcoming elections. He told the court that Khera posed no flight risk and that custodial interrogation was unnecessary, describing the allegations as, at most, a case of criminal defamation.
Supporting the defence, senior counsel Kamal Nayan Choudhury contended that the charges were exaggerated and framed with deliberate malice, asserting that the matter could be addressed through a private complaint rather than criminal proceedings.
However, the Assam government, represented by Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, opposed the bail plea. He argued that the case involved serious offences including cheating and forgery under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and required custodial investigation.
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The case has seen multiple legal developments in recent weeks. Earlier, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera a week’s transit anticipatory bail on April 10 to approach the appropriate court. However, the relief was later stayed by the Supreme Court of India on April 15 after Assam Police challenged the order.
Following the stay and refusal to extend interim protection, Khera approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which has now been rejected. The FIR registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch invokes several charges, including false statements, cheating, forgery and defamation.
Assam Police had earlier conducted searches at Khera’s residence in Delhi and also visited Hyderabad as part of the ongoing investigation.
