The Telangana High Court has put on hold its decision on a transit anticipatory bail request by Congress leader Pawan Khera, following a heated courtroom debate on claims of political bias, legal misuse, and territorial jurisdiction. The application was made following the filing of a case by Assam Police in Guwahati against Khera, accusing him of forgery and criminal conspiracy related to his statements regarding Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
Khera sought protection from arrest through pre-arrest bail, highlighting his residency in Hyderabad and his spouse’s ties to Telangana. He emphasized his compliance with the law, lack of criminal history, and willingness to assist in the investigation.
The controversy arose from statements made by Khera during a press conference on April 5, alleging that the Chief Minister’s wife possessed multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets, which were refuted by the Sarma family as baseless.
Representing Khera, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the case was politically motivated and the charges were exaggerated for what he deemed a mere press release. He criticized the broad array of offenses listed in the FIR as a form of harassment.
Singhvi questioned the necessity of Khera’s arrest and criticized the Assam Police’s deployment of a large team to his Delhi residence, labeling it as disproportionate for a defamation-related issue. He stressed Khera’s public figure status, cooperation willingness, and lack of flight risk or habitual criminal tendencies.
The senior lawyer also criticized the timing of the FIR and the alleged malafide intentions behind the police actions. In response, Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia refuted claims of political vendetta, accusing Khera of forgery and misleading the public and the court.
Saikia questioned Khera’s choice to approach the Telangana High Court instead of courts in Assam or Delhi for anticipatory bail, arguing that such relief should only be granted under exceptional circumstances. He emphasized that there was no imminent threat to Khera’s life and labeled him as a flight risk based on his evasion of the police.
Following a lengthy hearing, Justice K Sujana reserved her decision for a later date.