Pawan Khera, a senior Congress leader, on Monday approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with an FIR registered against him in Assam. The case is based on a complaint linked to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, and relates to allegations involving claims about multiple passports.
According to details available on the High Court’s website, Khera filed his bail petition on April 20, following a series of legal developments over the past two weeks.
Earlier, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera one-week transit anticipatory bail on April 10, allowing him time to approach the appropriate court in Assam. The petition at the time was filed in Hyderabad, where he is reported to reside.
However, the situation changed when Assam Police moved the Supreme Court of India challenging the Telangana High Court’s order. On April 15, the apex court stayed the transit anticipatory bail granted to Khera. It also clarified that any anticipatory bail plea filed before a competent court in Assam would be considered independently and not influenced by earlier interim relief.
On April 17, the Supreme Court declined to lift its stay on the transit bail and also refused Khera’s request for an extension. It made it clear that the matter must now be decided by the appropriate court in Assam, while directing that neither its own observations nor those of the High Court should influence the lower court during the hearing.
Following these directions, Khera has now moved the Gauhati High Court seeking protection from arrest.
The FIR registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station includes multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), such as allegations related to false statements in election matters, cheating, forgery of valuable documents, forgery of court records, use of forged documents as genuine, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, and defamation.
The complaint is linked to allegations that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma holds multiple passports. Khera has denied the charges, maintaining that they are politically motivated.
Earlier this month, Assam Police had visited Hyderabad in connection with the case and also carried out searches at Khera’s residence in Delhi.
