New Delhi, April 26: Congress leader Pawan Khera has approached the Supreme Court, contesting the Gauhati High Court’s decision that rejected his plea for anticipatory bail in a criminal case registered by the Assam police.
This case pertains to Khera’s alleged remarks against the wife of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to information available on the Supreme Court’s official website, Khera filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) on Sunday, which has been registered under diary number 25523/2026. The petition was submitted around 6:26 PM and is currently listed as ‘pending.’
This petition comes just two days after the Gauhati High Court denied Khera anticipatory bail. A single-judge bench led by Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia ruled that the Congress leader was not entitled to the privilege of anticipatory bail.
The Gauhati High Court stated that the matter could not merely be classified as a defamation case, noting that there is prima facie evidence under Section 339 of the Indian Penal Code (BNS), 2023.
The Congress party had already announced its intention to challenge the Gauhati High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed that the party stands firmly with Khera, confident that he will receive relief.
In a post on the social media platform X, Ramesh stated that the entire party is united with their media and publicity department chairman, Pawan Khera. He emphasized that the process to challenge the Gauhati High Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court is underway and expressed belief in the triumph of justice over politics of intimidation and harassment.
Previously, Khera received interim relief from the Telangana High Court, which granted him limited-time transit anticipatory bail, allowing him to seek regular relief in the relevant court in Assam.
However, following a challenge from the Assam police against this order, the Supreme Court later stayed this relief. Subsequently, the Supreme Court rejected Khera’s plea to lift the stay and also denied an extension of the interim protection period.
The Supreme Court clarified that any remarks made in its previous orders should not influence the decision of the Assam court regarding the bail application.
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