Supreme Court to Review Assam Government's Plea Against Pawan Khera's Bail
Supreme Court Hearing Scheduled
A file image of the Supreme Court (Photo: @IANS)
New Delhi, Apr 14: The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition from the Assam government on Wednesday, contesting a decision made by the Telangana High Court that granted Congress leader Pawan Khera a one-week transit anticipatory bail.
A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and A S Chandurkar will address this case on April 15, which involves allegations against the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
On April 10, the Telangana High Court provided Khera with a one-week transit anticipatory bail under specific conditions, allowing him time to submit an application to the relevant court.
The Assam government's petition was submitted on Sunday by advocate Shuvodeep Roy.
During a press conference on April 5, Khera accused the Chief Minister's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, of possessing multiple passports and foreign assets that were not disclosed in the Chief Minister's election affidavit for the April 9 Assembly elections.
The Sarmas have dismissed these claims as unfounded and fabricated.
The allegations against Khera have led to a case being filed at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station, invoking various sections of the BNS, including 175 (false statement in connection with an election), 35 (Right of private defence of the body and of property), and 318 (cheating).
The high court noted, "Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this court believes that the petitioner has established a case for limited transit anticipatory bail, as his fear of arrest seems reasonable and is supported by evidence on record."
The bail conditions stipulate that Khera must be released on bail if arrested, provided he executes a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh along with two sureties of the same amount. He is also required to cooperate with the investigation and be available for questioning by the Investigating Officer, and he must not leave the country without prior court approval.
Additionally, Khera is expected to approach the appropriate jurisdictional court in Assam within the specified timeframe to seek further relief. As a public figure, he is advised to refrain from making any public statements regarding this matter that could compromise the investigation, as per the court's order.
Khera, who filed his plea with the high court on April 7, listed his residential address as Hyderabad and sought bail in case of his arrest.