Pawan Khera approaches Telangana HC seeking anticipatory bail

Hyderabad: Congress leader and national spokesperson Pawan Khera on Wednesday, April 8, has approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the cases filed against him by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.

The previous day, Khera’s Delhi residence was searched by the Assam Police. The action followed a political firestorm that erupted after Congress held two press conferences in Delhi and Guwahati on April 5, where Khera and Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi alleged that Sarma’s wife holds three passports: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Antigua and Barbuda and properties in Dubai as well as a company registered in Wyoming, United States.

Sarma slammed the Congress for “not verifying” the documents based on which it brought allegations against him and his family. He asserted that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will “hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld)”.

“‘Assam Police ko nahi jante hain.. Pataal se bhi ukhar ke le ayega’ (They don’t know the Assam Police… they will hunt him down even from the netherworld),” he said.

Sarma’s wife subsequently lodged a first information report (FIR) with the Crime Branch of the Assam Police against Khera. Sarma also filed a separate case in Guwahati seeking action against what he called “fake allegations.”

The FIR was registered under Sections 175 (false statement in connection with an election), 35, 36, 318 (Cheating), 338, (forgery of valuable will, security etc.), 337(Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.), 340(Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine), 352(Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 356(Defamation) of BNS at Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station.

Pawan Khera is married to Kota Neelima, a fellow Congress colleague and a distinguished author, researcher, political commentator and artist.