SC Grants Relief to Pawan Khera in Defamation Case Linked to Assam CM’s Wife
In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India granted anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with a defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy case registered by Assam Police.
A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandurkar set aside the earlier order of the Gauhati High Court, which had denied him relief. The apex court observed that the case appeared to arise out of political rivalry and emphasized the importance of protecting the personal liberty of the accused.
The controversy dates back to April 5, when Khera, during a press conference, alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, possessed multiple foreign passports and undisclosed overseas assets. Following these claims, a case was registered against him on charges of defamation and forgery.
On April 7, Assam Police visited Khera’s residence in Delhi, but he was not present. He subsequently approached the Telangana High Court, which granted him temporary relief on April 10 to seek anticipatory bail in Assam.
However, the legal battle intensified when the Supreme Court stayed the Telangana High Court’s order on April 15 and later declined to extend the interim protection. The court directed Khera to approach the Gauhati High Court, which ultimately denied him anticipatory bail.
Challenging that decision, Khera moved the Supreme Court, arguing that his statements were made in a public and political context and were selectively interpreted to initiate criminal proceedings. He further claimed that the FIR was filed with an ulterior motive, alleging political vendetta by the complainant.
After hearing the matter, the Supreme Court granted him anticipatory bail, offering significant relief in the politically sensitive case.
