Guwahati: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over allegations related to multiple passports and overseas assets.
The move comes after the Supreme Court of India declined to grant Khera interim protection from arrest and directed him to seek relief from a competent court in Assam. The apex court also stayed the transit anticipatory bail earlier granted by the Telangana High Court and said the Gauhati High Court should consider the matter independently.
The case arises from statements made by Khera ahead of the recent Assembly elections, in which he alleged that the Chief Minister’s wife possessed passports from the UAE, Egypt and Antigua and Barbuda, and had acquired foreign citizenships between 2021 and 2022. He also claimed that the Chief Minister had not disclosed his wife’s overseas assets in his election affidavit.
The Chief Minister and his wife, has denied the allegations, describing them as fabricated and misleading. They have also alleged that the claims were based on manipulated or AI-generated material and linked to a Pakistani YouTube channel. Sharma subsequently initiated criminal and civil defamation proceedings against Khera.
Assam Police registered a case against the Congress leader under provisions related to false statements in connection with an election and cheating.
Earlier, Khera had secured limited transit anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court on April 10, which was later stayed by the Supreme Court following a plea by the Assam government. The top court also declined to extend protection from arrest, reiterating that Khera must approach the jurisdictional court in Assam.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Khera, argued that his client was not a flight risk and sought interim protection to enable him to move the Gauhati High Court. A Bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar declined the request, stating that Khera was free to seek urgent relief before the appropriate court.
Separately, a local court in Guwahati rejected Assam Police’s plea seeking a non-bailable warrant against Khera. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), observed in an April 7 order that the grounds cited were based on presumptions and lacked material evidence.
The court also noted that since the offences are cognisable and non-bailable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the police already have the authority to arrest without a warrant, rendering such a request unnecessary at this stage.