The Gauhati High Court on Friday dismissed an anticipatory bail application filed by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera. The plea was linked to a criminal case registered following Khera’s public allegations regarding undisclosed assets and multiple passports allegedly held by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The decision was delivered by a single-judge bench of Justice Parthiv Jyoti Saikia, which had reserved its verdict earlier this week after hearing arguments on Tuesday.
The controversy stems from statements made by Pawan Khera, where he alleged that the Assam Chief Minister’s wife possessed multiple passports and held undisclosed properties in foreign jurisdictions. Following these claims, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma initiated criminal proceedings against Khera and others at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station. The FIR was lodged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Khera’s journey to the Gauhati High Court follows a series of legal developments across different jurisdictions:
- Telangana High Court: Initially, Khera approached the Telangana High Court, which granted him a seven-day transit anticipatory bail.
- Supreme Court Intervention: The Assam Police challenged this transit bail in the Supreme Court of India. The apex court stayed the interim protection and directed the Congress leader to seek relief from the jurisdictional High Court in Assam.
- Gauhati High Court Filing: Adhering to the Supreme Court’s direction, Khera moved the Gauhati High Court on Monday.
After considering the petition and the nature of the allegations involving the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Justice Saikia rejected the plea for pre-arrest bail. This ruling effectively removes the interim shield against arrest in the case registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch, unless further relief is sought from a higher forum.
