- Telangana High Court grants Pawan Khera interim bail.
- Khera sought bail, citing a politically motivated FIR.
- Assam Police questioned jurisdiction for Khera’s bail plea.
- Khera has one week to approach the appropriate court.
The Telangana High Court on Friday granted Congress leader Pawan Khera anticipatory bail for one week in connection with an FIR filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over allegations related to multiple passports.
Justice K Sujana, while pronouncing the order, allowed Khera time to approach the appropriate court for further relief. “The petitioner is granted time for one week to file an application before the concerned court… relief to the petitioner for one week with conditions,” the court observed. A detailed order is awaited.
Jurisdiction Questioned by Assam Police
Khera moved the anticipatory bail plea in Hyderabad, citing his residence there. However, during Thursday’s hearing, Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia challenged the maintainability of the plea, arguing that Khera, a Delhi resident, had no valid reason to avoid seeking relief in Assam.
“There is no medical emergency… He can file anticipatory bail in Assam from any part of the country,” Saikia submitted, according to Live Law. He further alleged that Khera posed a “flight risk”, claiming he had evaded police earlier and could relocate again if authorities attempted to reach him.
Khera Calls FIR ‘Politically Motivated’
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khera, countered that the FIR was driven by political motives and amounted to vendetta.
The case stems from Khera’s claim that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma holds three passports. The FIR, registered at Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station, invokes multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to false statements, cheating, forgery, defamation and intentional insult.
Police Action Across Cities
Earlier this week, Assam Police teams reached Hyderabad in search of Khera. According to reports, officials had also visited his Delhi residence and carried out a search.
Khera, who serves as Chairman of the Congress party’s Media and Publicity Department and is a member of the Congress Working Committee, now has a week’s time to seek relief from the appropriate jurisdictional court as legal proceedings continue.
