Guwahati (Assam): In a major legal blow to the Congress party, the Gauhati High Court on Friday denied anticipatory bail to senior leader Pawan Khera. The ruling pertains to a criminal case initiated by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the spouse of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, following Khera’s public claims regarding her personal documentation and assets.

The legal dispute originated from allegations made by Khera, suggesting that Ms Sharma possessed multiple foreign passports and held undisclosed properties abroad. During the proceedings, Khera’s legal team, headed by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, maintained that the charges were politically driven. They argued that custodial interrogation was unnecessary as Khera did not pose a flight risk.

Conversely, the Assam government, represented by Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, took a stringent stance. The state argued that the matter extended beyond simple defamation, involving serious criminal allegations such as forgery and cheating.

While the Telangana High Court had previously provided Khera with a seven-day transit anticipatory bail, that relief was subsequently challenged by the Assam Police in the Supreme Court, leading to the current proceedings in the Gauhati High Court.
What the case is?
The case pertains to a criminal complaint filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, who accused the Congress spokesperson of making defamatory and false claims. The controversy centers on allegations raised by Khera during a press interaction, where he claimed that the Chief Minister’s wife held multiple passports simultaneously. These allegations were vehemently denied by the complainant, who subsequently initiated legal action for criminal conspiracy and defamation.