The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on the anticipatory bail plea filed by senior Congress leader and spokesperson Pawan Khera. The case stems from an FIR registered by the Assam Police Crime Branch on a complaint by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The complaint relates to Khera’s public remarks alleging that she holds multiple passports and undisclosed assets abroad. Khera’s legal team argued before the apex court that the case is politically motivated and that custodial interrogation is not required.
They contended that the allegations do not warrant arrest at this stage. On the other hand, the Assam government pressed for a thorough probe into the matter, stating that serious offences involving forgery of documents are involved.
The Gauhati High Court had on April 24 rejected Khera’s anticipatory bail application. Following the setback, the Congress leader approached the Supreme Court for relief.
During the hearing, senior advocates representing Khera emphasised that the remarks were made in the context of political discourse and questioned the intent behind the FIR. The Assam side maintained that the statements caused reputational harm and involved allegations of serious criminal acts, including forgery.
The bench heard detailed arguments from both sides before reserving its judgment. The order is expected to be pronounced in the coming days.
This development has drawn attention from political circles, with Congress leaders describing the case as an attempt to intimidate opposition voices. The ruling BJP in Assam has maintained that the law must take its own course without any political interference.
The controversy erupted ahead of the Assam assembly elections when Khera made the claims during a press interaction. The remarks quickly snowballed into a major political row in the state.
Legal experts point out that the Supreme Court’s decision will be significant in clarifying the balance between freedom of speech in political matters and the protection of individual reputation under defamation and forgery laws.
