The Congress party has announced its intention to challenge the Gauhati High Court’s denial of anticipatory bail to party leader Pawan Khera in the Supreme Court. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed full support for Khera, emphasizing the party’s belief in justice prevailing over threats and harassment. The High Court’s decision stemmed from allegations made by Khera against Assam’s Chief Minister’s wife during a press conference in Guwahati.
The Gauhati High Court rejected Khera’s plea for anticipatory bail, citing the need for custodial interrogation to verify the authenticity of documents related to the case. The court emphasized that the case involved more than mere defamation and required further investigation. Khera’s statements, which alleged financial impropriety by the Chief Minister’s wife, led to the filing of an FIR and subsequent legal proceedings.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Khera, argued that the statements were part of political discourse and should be viewed as defamation at most. However, the Assam Advocate General contended that the allegations were based on false documents, indicating serious legal implications. The High Court’s order highlighted the necessity of custodial interrogation to uncover the origins of the disputed documents and associated individuals.
Despite claims of political vendetta, the Gauhati High Court dismissed allegations of malicious intent and emphasized the pursuit of justice in the case. The court found no evidence to suggest that the proceedings aimed to harm the petitioner and stressed the importance of investigating the source of the contentious documents. Earlier, the Supreme Court had declined to provide Khera with protection from arrest, directing him to seek legal recourse in Assam.
