Hyderabad, April 9: The Telangana High Court has reserved its order regarding Congress leader Pawan Khera’s plea for interim protection against arrest in a case filed by Assam police. This case pertains to allegedly defamatory and malicious allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Rinki Bhuyan Sarma.
Khera has sought transit anticipatory bail to approach the courts in Assam.
Justice K. Sujatha heard arguments from both sides before reserving the decision, which is expected to be announced on Friday.
Khera’s lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued in court that the FIR filed by Assam police appears to be politically motivated.
On the other hand, Assam’s Advocate General Devjeet Saikia challenged the admissibility of the anticipatory bail plea in Hyderabad. He contended that Khera, a resident of Delhi, failed to provide a valid reason for not filing the plea in Assam.
Assam police have registered a case against Pawan Khera for alleged defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. This case was initiated after Khera claimed that Rinki Bhuyan possesses multiple foreign passports and undisclosed assets abroad.
A team from Assam police visited Khera’s residence in Delhi on Tuesday, but he was not present at the time. The police set up barricades outside his home and also deployed security outside his wife Neelima’s residence in Hyderabad.
Since making sensational allegations against Chief Minister Sarma’s wife, Khera has been under the scrutiny of Assam police. He faces charges under 14 sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
The controversy began following Khera’s press conference on Sunday, where he alleged that Rinki Bhuyan Sarma holds three passports, undisclosed luxurious properties in Dubai, and shell companies in the United States.
Khera has been missing since the press conference. On Wednesday, he demanded that the Chief Minister respond to the serious allegations against him and his wife instead of hiding behind the police. In a video statement, he asserted that he would not be intimidated by such tactics and would continue to ask questions.
The Congress party shared Khera’s video statement on their X account, reportedly recorded from an undisclosed location. In the video, he addressed the Assam Chief Minister, saying, “Instead of clarifying serious allegations, you have unleashed your police. But we, the soldiers of Rahul Gandhi, are not afraid.”
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