Congress leader challenges relief denial in defamation and alleged forgery case linked to FIR by Chief Minister’s wife
Guwahti: Congress leader Pawan Khera has approached the Supreme Court seeking relief after the Gauhati High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea on April 24. The case arises from an FIR filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over allegations made by Khera during a press conference.
In his statements, Khera had claimed that Sharma held multiple foreign passports and undisclosed overseas assets, prompting the filing of the complaint and subsequent police action. Following this, Khera sought protection from arrest; however, the Gauhati High Court declined to grant anticipatory bail.
A single-judge bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia delivered the order after hearing detailed arguments from both sides and reserving judgment earlier. While the detailed reasoning is awaited, the decision has now been challenged before the apex court.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khera, argued that the case was “politically motivated” and reflected a pattern of vendetta, especially in the backdrop of elections. Supporting this, Senior Counsel KN Choudhary described the allegations as “scandalous” and maintained that, at most, the matter fell under criminal defamation.
On the other hand, Assam Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia opposed the plea, asserting that the case involved “serious offences” such as cheating and forgery, going beyond simple defamation.
The Supreme Court is now expected to examine Khera’s plea for protection from arrest.
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