Pawan Khera gets relief: Supreme Court grants pre-arrest bail in Assam CM wife remark case

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has granted anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with alleged defamatory remarks against Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife. The relief comes days after the Gauhati High Court rejected his plea, citing serious charges and calling him a potential flight risk.

The apex court directed Khera to fully cooperate with the investigation and appear before authorities whenever summoned. It also imposed conditions restricting him from leaving the country without prior court approval and warned against influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence.

A bench comprising Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice AS Chandurkar observed that the allegations and counter-allegations appear to carry political undertones. The court held that custodial interrogation was not necessary at this stage and emphasized the importance of safeguarding personal liberty while ensuring a fair investigation.

The top court also set aside the Gauhati High Court’s earlier order, noting that such cases require a balanced approach between the rights of the individual and the interests of the state.

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The case stems from remarks made by Khera during an April 4 press conference, where he raised allegations against the Chief Minister’s wife regarding foreign citizenship and financial dealings. The claims were strongly denied by the Sarma family, who termed the documents as fabricated and misleading. A police complaint was subsequently filed in Guwahati.

Earlier, the Gauhati High Court had denied anticipatory bail, stating that custodial interrogation was required to verify the authenticity and source of the documents cited by Khera.

The Supreme Court’s latest order provides temporary relief to the Congress leader, while the investigation into the matter continues.

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