The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Assam government’s challenge to the interim relief granted by the Telangana High Court to Congress leader Pawan Khera. The case revolves around alleged defamatory remarks made by Khera against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. The matter is set to be heard by a Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar on April 15.
The Assam government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, contesting the Telangana High Court’s decision to grant transit anticipatory bail to Khera for one week. Khera sought protection from the Telangana High Court to approach the appropriate court for regular bail in connection with the FIR filed by Assam Police. The Telangana High Court, through a single-judge Bench of Justice K. Sujana, ordered Khera’s release on anticipatory bail for a week in case of arrest.
During the Telangana High Court proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Khera, argued that the FIR stemmed from political vendetta. Singhvi claimed that Khera was being victimized for questioning the Assam Chief Minister and his family. On the other hand, Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia raised objections to the petition before the Telangana High Court, questioning Khera’s justification for seeking relief outside Assam as a Delhi resident.
The Assam Police have charged Khera under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. These charges followed Khera’s allegations against Riniki Bhuyan Sarma regarding multiple foreign passports, undisclosed luxury properties in Dubai, and shell companies in the United States. The controversy has sparked a heated political clash between the BJP and Congress ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, with Congress supporting Khera and accusing the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government of using the police to suppress political adversaries.
Senior Congress leaders have stood by Khera, asserting that rather than resorting to legal action, the Assam Chief Minister and his family should address the accusations leveled against them.
