New Delhi
The Indian National Congress on Saturday said it will challenge the Gauhati High Court order rejecting anticipatory bail to party leader Pawan Khera before the Supreme Court of India.
The party expressed strong support for Khera, calling the case an example of political targeting.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh stated that the party stands firmly with Pawan Khera and is confident that judicial relief will be granted. In a post on the social media platform X, Ramesh said that the Congress believes justice will prevail over what he described as politics driven by threat, intimidation, and harassment.
The development comes a day after the Gauhati High Court rejected Khera’s plea for anticipatory bail in connection with a case registered in Assam. The FIR was lodged following alleged remarks made by Khera against Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
A single-judge bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia ruled that Khera did not deserve the relief of anticipatory bail. The court observed that the matter could not be treated as mere defamation and noted that there were grounds for a prima facie case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The case originates from statements made by Khera during a press conference in Guwahati earlier this month, where he alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma possessed multiple foreign passports and had financial dealings abroad. Following these claims, Sharma filed an FIR, strongly denying the allegations and asserting that she is solely an Indian citizen.
During the court proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khera, argued that the remarks were part of political discourse and could, at most, amount to defamation. He also raised concerns about political vendetta and the possibility of harassment if Khera were arrested.
Opposing the plea, Assam Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia contended that the allegations were based on documents later found to be false, thereby attracting more serious offences beyond defamation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In its order, the Gauhati High Court emphasized the need for custodial interrogation to determine the source and authenticity of the documents cited by Khera. The Congress is now preparing to move the Supreme Court, setting the stage for a legal battle that could have wider political implications.
