Amid escalating political tensions, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has moved the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered by Assam Police over his remarks concerning Riniki Bhuyan, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The petition, filed on Tuesday, seeks protection from arrest in connection with an FIR lodged on April 5 at the Guwahati Crime Branch police station. The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of defamation, forgery, cheating, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy.
In his plea, Khera stated that he has not received a copy of the FIR and argued that the allegations do not necessitate custodial interrogation. He has requested anticipatory bail in the event of arrest.
The controversy stems from remarks made by Khera during a press conference in New Delhi, where he alleged that Riniki Bhuyan held multiple foreign passports and had links to properties in the United Arab Emirates, as well as a company in the United States. He further claimed that these details were not disclosed in the Chief Minister’s election affidavit.
Following the statements, Assam Police registered a case accusing Khera of spreading false and defamatory information with intent to harm reputation. Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party termed the remarks “baseless” and “malicious,” while the Assam government asserted that the allegations are factually incorrect.
The matter is currently under consideration before the Telangana High Court.
