Guwahati High Court Refuses Anticipatory Bail to Pawan Khera in Passport Case

The Guwahati High Court has rejected Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail plea in a case involving allegations of forgery and defamation filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.

On April 23, the Guwahati High Court denied anticipatory bail to senior Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case initiated by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the spouse of Assam Chief Himanta Biswa Sharma, relating to Khera publicly making claims regarding her personal documentation and assets. Specifically, Khera alleged in a press conference that Ms. Sharma had multiple foreign passports in her possession and held undisclosed properties abroad. During the ensuing legal dispute, Khera’s legal team, headed by advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, emphasized that the charges were politically motivated. Also, the custodial interrogation sought by the Assam Police was unfounded since Khera did not pose any risk of absconding from proceedings.

However, the Assam Government, represented by Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, took a differing view and argued for stringent measures to be initiated against Mr. Khera. Behind this demand was the state’s reasoning that the matter at hand was not limited to simple defamation alone. It involved additional serious criminal allegations such as forgery and cheating. Importantly, the latest development in the case follows the Telangana High Court's previously granting Mr. Khera a seven-day transit anticipatory bail, which was subsequently challenged by the Assam Police in the Supreme Court.

Analyzing the case further, it is evident that the source of the present controversy is Ms. Sharma's decrying Mr. Khera’s claims as defamatory and factually incorrect. She subsequently proceeded to initiate legal action for criminal conspiracy and defamation. According to CIO Bulletin, this developing story would be keenly watched and the outcomes closely studied by observers and political pundits alike.