The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on a plea filed by Congress leader Pawan Khera, challenging the Gauhati High Court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail application in a criminal case registered by the Assam Police. The case involves alleged remarks made by Khera against the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar heard arguments from senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Khera, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State of Assam, before reserving the verdict. Singhvi argued that the case centered on defamation and reputational harm allegations, questioning the need for custodial arrest or interrogation even if the accusations were true.
Singhvi emphasized that there was no legal basis for arrest, highlighting that the offenses mentioned in the FIR were mostly bailable. He criticized the Assam Police’s arrest attempt on Khera as excessive, stating that the situation did not warrant such actions and that Khera was not a flight risk but a political leader facing politically motivated charges.
