The Telangana High Court on Friday provided a one-week window of protection to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, granting him anticipatory bail in connection with a criminal case registered by the Assam Police. The case stems from allegations Khera made regarding the assets and documentation of Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Justice Sujana Kalasikam, presiding over the petition filed by Khera, directed the Congress leader to approach the concerned jurisdictional court within the next seven days to seek regular relief. “The petitioner is granted time for one week to file an application before the concerned court. Granting relief to the petitioner for one week with the conditions,” the Court observed during the hearing.
The legal friction began following a press conference on April 5, where Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed multiple passports and foreign property. He further claimed these assets were not disclosed in Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s mandatory election affidavit.
In response to these allegations, a case was registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station. The First Information Report (FIR) includes several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), specifically:
- Section 175: False statement in connection with an election.
- Section 318: Cheating.
- Section 35: Relating to the right of private defense of the body and property.
The investigation had already seen movement prior to Friday’s court order, with an Assam Police team visiting Khera’s Delhi residence for questioning. The political atmosphere surrounding the case has been charged, with Chief Minister Sarma publicly criticizing the Congress party for failing to verify documents before making “baseless” accusations against his family.
Earlier this week, the Chief Minister had asserted that while Khera had moved to Hyderabad, the Assam Police remained committed to the investigation, stating they would “hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld).”
With the High Court’s current order, Khera has a seven-day reprieve to seek further legal remedies before the relevant court in Assam or another appropriate jurisdiction, during which time the police are restrained from taking him into custody.
