Gauhati High Court rejects Pawan Khera’s anticipatory bail over remarks on Assam CM’s wife

The Gauhati High Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with allegations he made against the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The case stems from claims that she possessed multiple passports and undisclosed overseas assets, which led to criminal complaints being filed against Khera.

The plea was rejected by a single bench of Justice Parthiv Jyoti Saikia after hearing arguments from both sides earlier this week. Khera had approached the high court following directions from the Supreme Court of India, which had asked him to seek relief from the jurisdictional court in Assam after staying a previous order granting him transit anticipatory bail.

The case originated after Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the Chief Minister’s wife, filed criminal complaints at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The complaints were based on Khera’s public allegations regarding multiple passports and alleged foreign assets, which she contested as false and defamatory.

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera a seven-day transit anticipatory bail. However, this relief was challenged by Assam Police before the Supreme Court, which subsequently stayed the order on April 15 and directed Khera to approach the Gauhati High Court for appropriate relief.

Following the high court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail plea, the case has taken a significant turn, with legal proceedings continuing in Assam. The development has also triggered political reactions, further intensifying the ongoing confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition over the allegations and their implications.